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What is MERCY?
Introductory comments: It is not enough to be able to articulate the definitions of mercy. We need to
learn how to receive mercy in our hearts in order to be able to show mercy. In other words, we need to
be both recipients and dispensers of mercy. We cannot show mercy, unless we know it for ourselves. In
this year of mercy, we are called to be merciful like the Father. (Pope Francis’ motto for this year)
Grade Levels: 9th-12th
Topic:
What is Mercy as defined by the Catholic Church?
DOL Standard: [ Targeted Standards:1 ]EC.A.IV.2 Select a scriptural event and elaborate on the
consequences of unfaithfulness to the covenant and the mercy of God following repentance.
Overarching Concepts
1.
2.
3.
4.
Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy (Pope Francis)
God’s mercy triumphs over judgment.
God’s mercy endures forever
Not one person is beyond the reach of God’s mercy
Essential Questions
1. What is human mercy and how is that different from Divine Mercy?
2. How do Christians understand the importance of both being recipients and dispensers of mercy?
3. What are some obstacles to receiving mercy and how can they be overcome?
Content
Anticipatory Set:
1. Show the clip entitled, Inmate Football
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuxejhBOCOo&NR=1 (video time 5:29)
2. While viewing the video, ask the students to write down examples of mercy that are shown
in this video.
3. After showing the video, read the story that summarizes the video just seen.
4. Take time to discuss the video and the examples that the students observed.
5. Ask the students what the difference is between human mercy and divine mercy.
Inmate Football
Author Anonymous
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In the fall of 2008, there was an unusual high school football game played in Grapevine, Texas. The
game was between Grapevine Faith Academy and the Gainesville State School. Faith Academy is a
Christian school and Gainesville State School is located within a maximum security correction facility.
Gainesville State School has 14 players. They play every game on the road. Their record was 0-8. They
have scored only twice. Their 14 players are teenagers who have been convicted of crimes ranging from
drugs to assault to robbery. Most had families who had disowned them. They wore outdated, used
shoulder pads and helmets. Faith Academy was 7-2. They had 70 players, 11 coaches, and the latest
equipment.
Chris Hogan, the head coach at Faith Academy, knew the Gainesville team would have no fans, and it
would be no contest. He thought, “What if half of our fans and half of our cheerleaders, for one night
only, cheered for the other team?” He sent out an email to the faithful asking them to do just that..
“Here’s the message I want you to send,” Hogan wrote. “You’re just as valuable as any other person on
the planet.”
Some folks were confused and thought he was nuts. One player said, “Coach, why are we doing this?”
Hogan said, “Imagine you don’t have a home life, no one to love you, no one pulling for you. Imagine
that everyone pretty much had given up on you. Now, imagine what it would feel like and mean to you
for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you.”
The idea took root. On the night of the game, imagine the surprise of those 14 players when they took
the field and there was a banner the cheerleaders had made for them to crash through. The visitors’
stands were full. The cheerleaders were leading cheers for them. The fans were calling them by their
names. Isaiah, the quarterback-middle linebacker said, “I never in my life thought I would hear parents
cheering to tackle and hit their kid. Most of the time, when we come out, people are afraid of us. You
can see it in their eyes, but these people are yelling for us. They knew our names.”
Faith won the game, but after the game, both teams gathered at the 50-yard line to pray. That’s when
Isaiah, the teenage convict-quarterback surprised everybody and asked if he could pray. He prayed,
“Lord, I don’t know what just happened so I don’t know how or who to say thank you to, but I never
knew there were so many people in the world that cared about us.” On the way back to the bus, under
guard, each one of the players was handed a burger, fries, a coke, candy, a Bible, and an encouraging
letter from the players from Faith Academy.
I.
What is mercy?
A. What is human mercy? After viewing the video, Inmate Football, the students should have a
good idea of how human mercy is shown. (Other examples…a teacher may allow a student
to do corrections on a test; a teacher may give an extension on a paper. What are examples
among peers? Examples of parents showing mercy?)
B. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines mercy this way: The loving kindness,
compassion, or forbearance shown to one who offends (e.g., the mercy of God to us
sinners).
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C. Mercy in Sacred Scripture (There are many passages, only a few will be mentioned)
1. Lamentations 3:22—The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never
come to an end.
In this passage in Lamentations, we see the words steadfast love (checed in Hebrew)
which means loving kindness and mercies (racham in Hebrew) which means
compassion.1i
2. Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy
name!2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,3 who forgives all
your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,4 who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love (checed) and mercy,5 (racham) who satisfies
you with good as long as you live[a]so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
D. Mercy as defined by Pope Francis in Misericordiae Vultus- The Bull of Indiction of the
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (see various sections quoted below)
1. Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. These words might well sum up the
mystery of the Christian faith. Mercy has become living and visible in Jesus of
Nazareth, reaching its culmination in him. The Father, “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4),
after having revealed his name to Moses as “a God merciful and gracious, slow to
anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex34:6), has never ceased
to show, in various ways throughout history, his divine nature. In the “fullness of
time” (Gal 4:4), when everything had been arranged according to his plan of
salvation, he sent his only Son into the world, born of the Virgin Mary, to reveal his
love for us in a definitive way. Whoever sees Jesus sees the Father (cf. Jn 14:9).
Jesus of Nazareth, by his words, his actions, and his entire person[1] reveals the
mercy of God. (from section #1)
2. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of
being loved forever despite our sinfulness. (from section #2)
3. In the parables devoted to mercy, Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a
Father who never gives up until he has forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection
with compassion and mercy. We know these parables well, three in particular: the
lost sheep, the lost coin, and the father with two sons (cf. Lk 15:1-32). In these
parables, God is always presented as full of joy, especially when he pardons. In them
we find the core of the Gospel and of our faith, because mercy is presented as a
1
See footnote #52 in St. John Paul II’s Encyclical Letter, Dives in Misericordia for and outstanding explanation on
these two Hebrew words, checed and racham. For your convenience, this note has been included in an endnote
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force that overcomes everything, filling the heart with love and bringing consolation
through pardon. (a selection from section #9, the whole section is recommended)
II.
Recipients of God’s Mercy
A. Examples from Sacred Scripture: Luke 15:11-32—The parable of the two sons who
received mercy. Luke 18:13—The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
B. What is your story: have you received God’s mercy? Share it with one other person in
the class, then ask them to share with you. Get permission from them to share their
story with the class! Can you share examples? (if students struggle with receiving God’s
mercy, discuss the obstacles to being a recipient)
C. Obstacles to receiving God’s mercy are unwillingness to forgive and an unwillingness to
admit our sins.2
1. CCC # 2840 Now—and this is daunting—this outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate
our hearts as long as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us.
Love, like the Body of Christ, is indivisible; we cannot love the God we cannot see if
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we do not love the brother or sister we do see. In refusing to forgive our brothers
and sisters, our hearts are closed and their hardness makes them impervious to the
Father’s merciful love; but in confessing our sins, our hearts are opened to his grace.
2. CCC #847 “God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without
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us.” To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. “If we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
2
From an interview with Pope Francis on his way back to Rome (This is his response regarding
forgiveness)
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-im-not-a-star-but-the-servant-of-serv
Maria Antonieta Collins, Univision:
You have spoken a lot about forgiveness, that God forgives us and that we often ask for forgiveness. I would like to ask you, after you were
at the seminary today. There are many priests that have committed sexual abuses to minors and have not asked for forgiveness for their
victims. Do you forgive them? And on the other hand, do you understand the victims or their relatives who can’t or don’t want to forgive?
Pope Francis:
If a person has done wrong, is conscious of what he has done and does not say sorry, I ask God to take him into account. I forgive him, but
he does not receive that forgiveness, he is closed to forgiveness. We must forgive, because we were all forgiven. It is another thing to
receive that forgiveness. If that priest is closed to forgiveness, he won’t receive it, because he locked the door from the inside. And what
remains is to pray for the Lord to open that door. To forgive you must be willing. But not everyone can receive or know how to receive it, or
are just not willing to receive it. What I’m saying is hard. And that is how you explain how there are people who finish their life hardened,
badly, without receiving the tenderness of God.
Maria Antonieta Collins, Univision:
Regarding victims or relatives who don’t forgive - do you understand them?
Pope Francis:
Yes, I do. I pray for them. And I don’t judge them. Once, in one of these meetings, I met several people and I met a woman who told me
“When my mother found out that I had been abused, she became blasphemous, she lost her faith and she died an atheist.” I understand that
woman. I understand here. And God who is even better than me, understands her. And I’m sure that that woman has been received by God.
Because what was abused, destroyed, was her own flesh, the flesh of her daughter. I understand her. I don’t judge someone who can’t
forgive. I pray and I ask God… God is a champion in finding paths of solutions. I ask him to fix it.
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just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
III.
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(387, 1455)
Dispensers of God’s Mercy
A. Pope Francis said: “Merciful like the Father, therefore, is the “motto” of this Holy Year”
LET us then ask for grace to be like our Heavenly Father!
B. Example from Sacred Scripture: Luke 10:33 (note, another word is used for
mercy/compassion) (Challenge—find the Greek word and definition)
C. Stories of Dispensers of God’s mercyii
IV.
Conclusion—take away:
A. We need to know God’s mercy before we can show it!
B. We need to be recipients of His mercy in order to be dispensers of His mercy
C. Be aware each day of how God shows His mercy to you and always be ready to be an
extension of His mercy. Recall Romans 5:1-5—His love has been poured into your heart.
You have what you need; rely solely on Him and expect him to use you! May we all
follow the exhortation of Pope Francis in this year of mercy to be merciful like the
Father!
D. Challenge: Pray and ask God to make you more aware of His great mercy for you in
order to prepare you to be used as an instrument of His mercy for others; to be merciful
like the Father!
Skills: Observation, writing, speaking (share your story!); Students can learn how to do a topic study in
Scripture on mercy.
Assessments: See directions under the anticipatory set—writing observations while viewing the video.
Students may be asked to do a mini Scripture study on words used for mercy or to study the parables of
mercy in greater depth. Students could be asked to write a modern day version of the Prodigal Son with
an emphasis on the merciful father. Students also could be assigned to look more deeply into Pope
Francis’ definitions of mercy in Misericordiae Vultus. The teacher can direct them to explain more in
depth such phrases as: Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy or Mercy: the bridge that connects
God and man.
Resources: Video clip, Inmate football, Stories from Captured by Mercy by Sr. Ann Shields, Sacred
Scripture, Misericordiae Vultus- The Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy by Pope
Francis
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i
52. In describing mercy, the books of the Old Testament use two expressions in particular, each
having a different semantic nuance. First there is the term "hesed," which indicates a profound
attitude of "goodness." When this is established between two individuals, they do not just wish
each other well; they are also faithful to each other by virtue of an interior commitment, and
therefore also by virtue of a faithfulness to themselves. Since hesed also means "grace" or
"love," this occurs precisely on the basis of this fidelity. The fact that the commitment in question
has not only a moral character but almost a juridical one makes no difference. When in the Old
Testament the word hesed is used of the Lord, this always occurs in connection with the covenant
that God established with Israel. This covenant was, on God's part, a gift and a grace for Israel.
Nevertheless, since, in harmony with the covenant entered into, God had made a commitment to
respect it, hesed also acquired in a certain sense a legal content. The juridical commitment on
God's part ceased to oblige whenever Israel broke the covenant and did not respect its
conditions. But precisely at this point, hesed, in ceasing to be a juridical obligation, revealed its
deeper aspect: it showed itself as what it was at the beginning, that is, as love that gives, love
more powerful than betrayal, grace stronger than sin.
This fidelity vis-à-vis the unfaithful "daughter of my people"(cf. Lam. 4:3, 6) is, in brief, on God's
part, fidelity to Himself. This becomes obvious in the frequent recurrence together of the two
terms hesed we've met (= grace and fidelity), which could be considered a case of hendiadys (cf.
e.g. Ex. 34:6; 2 Sm. 2:6; 15:20; Ps. 25[24]:10; 40[39]:11-12; 85[84]:11; 138[137]:2; Mi.
7:20). "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my
holy name" (Ez. 36:22). Therefore Israel, although burdened with guilt for having broken the
covenant, cannot lay claim to God's hesed on the basis of (legal) justice; yet it can and must go
on hoping and trusting to obtain it, since the God of the covenant is really "responsible for his
love." The fruits of this love are forgiveness and restoration to grace, the reestablishment of the
interior covenant.
The second word which in the terminology of the Old Testament serves to define mercy is
"rahamim." This has a different nuance from that of hesed. While hesed highlights the marks of
fidelity to self and of "responsibility for one's own love" (which are in a certain sense masculine
characteristics), rahamim, in its very root, denotes the love of a mother (rehem = mother's
womb). From the deep and original bond — indeed the unity — that links a mother to her child
there springs a particular relationship to the child, a particular love. Of this love one can say
that it is completely gratuitous, not merited, and that in this aspect it constitutes an interior
necessity: an exigency of the heart. It is, as it were, a "feminine" variation of the masculine
fidelity to be self expressed by hesed. Against this psychological background, rahamim generates
a whole range of feelings, including goodness and tenderness, patience and understanding, that
is, readiness to forgive.
The Old Testament attributes to the Lord precisely these characteristics when it uses the term
rahamim in speaking of Him. We read in Isaiah: "Can a woman forget her suckling child, that
she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not
forget you" (Is. 49:15). This love, faithful and invincible thanks to the mysterious power of
motherhood, is expressed in the Old Testament texts in various ways: as salvation from dangers,
especially from enemies; also as forgiveness of sins — of individuals and also of the whole of
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Israel; and finally in readiness to fulfill the (eschatological) promise and hope, in spite of human
infidelity, as we read in Hosea: "I will heal their faithlessness, I will love them freely" (Hos.
14:5).
In the terminology of the Old Testament we also find other expressions, referring in different
ways to the same basic content. But the two terms mentioned above deserve special attention.
They clearly show their original anthropomorphic aspect: in describing God's mercy, the
biblical authors use terms that correspond to the consciousness and experience of their
contemporaries. The Greek terminology in the Septuagint translation does not show as great a
wealth as the Hebrew: therefore it does not offer all the semantic nuances proper to the original
text. At any rate, the New Testament builds upon the wealth and depth that already marked the
Old.
ii
See Captured by Mercy, by Sr. Ann Shields—two stories of dispensers of mercy. This is to be found in a separate
file.