The Catholic Church's View On Mercy And Compassion Analysis
3.4 The Catholic Church’s View on Mercy and Compassion
Pope Francis teaches in his apostolic letter Misericordiae Vultus – ‘Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy’, that Patience and mercy are two words which often go together in the Old Testament to describe God’s nature. His being merciful is concretely demonstrated in his many actions throughout the history of salvation where his goodness prevails over punishment and destruction. ‘He forgives all your iniquity, he heals all your diseases, he redeems your life from the pit, he crowns you with steadfast love and mercy’ (Ps 103:3-4). ‘The Lord lifts up the downtrodden, he casts the wicked to the ground’ (Ps 147:3, 6). He continues that the mercy of God is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality with which he reveals his love as of that of a father or a mother, moved to the very depths out of love for their child. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that this is a ‘visceral’ love. It gushes forth from the depths naturally, full of tenderness and compassion, indulgence and mercy.
We learn from the book of Genesis that God created man for happiness. However owing to the sin of disobedience that happiness eluded man, and suffering and other discomfort events became part of human life. However as an Ewe adage asserts ‘Mawumedzia vi wuna o’ meaning God does not beget a …show more content…
Jesus as God is believed to be the creator and sustainer and the world. Jesus has never turned a blind eye to human suffering. He humbly identified himself with the sick and the disadvantaged. He brought relief and redemption to them. Paul expresses it very well in his letter to the Philippians 2:7 “… emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.” Therefore the Church cannot turn a blind eye to PLWHA. She must equally identify herself with them in imitation of
Pope Francis teaches in his apostolic letter Misericordiae Vultus – ‘Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy’, that Patience and mercy are two words which often go together in the Old Testament to describe God’s nature. His being merciful is concretely demonstrated in his many actions throughout the history of salvation where his goodness prevails over punishment and destruction. ‘He forgives all your iniquity, he heals all your diseases, he redeems your life from the pit, he crowns you with steadfast love and mercy’ (Ps 103:3-4). ‘The Lord lifts up the downtrodden, he casts the wicked to the ground’ (Ps 147:3, 6). He continues that the mercy of God is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality with which he reveals his love as of that of a father or a mother, moved to the very depths out of love for their child. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that this is a ‘visceral’ love. It gushes forth from the depths naturally, full of tenderness and compassion, indulgence and mercy.
We learn from the book of Genesis that God created man for happiness. However owing to the sin of disobedience that happiness eluded man, and suffering and other discomfort events became part of human life. However as an Ewe adage asserts ‘Mawumedzia vi wuna o’ meaning God does not beget a …show more content…
Jesus as God is believed to be the creator and sustainer and the world. Jesus has never turned a blind eye to human suffering. He humbly identified himself with the sick and the disadvantaged. He brought relief and redemption to them. Paul expresses it very well in his letter to the Philippians 2:7 “… emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.” Therefore the Church cannot turn a blind eye to PLWHA. She must equally identify herself with them in imitation of