This is the second of a two-part series on Mercy. We apologize that we cannot give proper credit for these helpful thoughts. We welcome any information you may have about the author. The original piece has been edited for space and clarity.

We need mercy because we live in an imperfect world. We all know people who have suffered a death in the family, a serious illness, divorce, a job loss, or some other personal tragedy. We have heard shocking stories of violence, oppression, poverty, prejudice, and abuse. And while we can’t stop every bad thing from happening, the late Pope Francis believed that we could become more merciful, and in turn, respond to people in need.

Here are four more tangible ways to show mercy to others.

DON’T TURN AWAY. When faced with an opportunity to be merciful, our greatest temptation is to look away. It’s easy to rationalize that someone else is better able to help than you are. But the reality is, when we turn away from someone in need, we are turning away from Christ himself. If we want to be more merciful, we must be willing to stand beside the other person – even if it makes our own lives more difficult. When we do that, we become more humble, kinder, and more compassionate.

How do I deal with the temptation to turn away from someone in need?

CULTIVATE LITTLE KINDNESSES. Small chances for kindness arise every day. No opportunity for mercy is ever insignificant. Allowing another car to merge into your lane, calling a grieving friend, checking on an elderly neighbor, helping a co-worker, and holding the door for someone are just a few examples. Sometimes, a smile or a word of encouragement can change a person’s whole outlook.

What are some of the small acts of mercy that I can do every day?

 

ACCEPT MERCY FROM OTHERS. It takes humility to admit that we, too, need mercy. When you allow others to be merciful to you, you give them the opportunity to reach outside of themselves and enter your pain. When that happens, they become instruments of God’s love to heal and comfort you.

In what ways have I accepted mercy from other people?

 

PRAY FOR MERCY. Pray to become more merciful. Pray also for family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and people you know who need mercy. Pray for people who have hurt you. Pray for people around the world who are suffering. Pray that everyone in the world will respond to God’s mercy and, in turn, be merciful to one another.

How will I pray for mercy, and for whom will I pray?

 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7). Our efforts to become more merciful may change the people around us. More importantly, those efforts will guarantee a change in us. We’ll become kinder and more compassionate. We’ll become more like Christ.

 

 

Mercy – Part 1

 

This is the first of a two-part series on Mercy. We apologize that we cannot give proper credit for these helpful thoughts. We welcome any information you may have about the author. The original piece has been edited for space and clarity.

 

WHAT IS MERCY? We tend to think of “mercy” as compassion or sympathy, but the word has a much deeper meaning. It is more than feeling sorry for someone. Having mercy means that we enter the other person’s suffering. We feel the other person’s pain, see through the other person’s eyes, and place ourselves inside the other person’s heart and mind. When that happens, we are moved to respond in a merciful way. We can be merciful because God is merciful. “The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. The LORD is good to all, compassionate toward all your works” (Ps 145:8-9). Mercy grows in us as we reflect on how God has been merciful with us.

 

Here are four tangible ways to show mercy to others.

 

DARE TO REALLY CARE. Allow yourself to look beneath another person’s surface needs and feel what that person is going through. Maybe it is physical pain. Or, maybe it is loneliness, rejection, discouragement, or fear. Imagine that you are seeing this person through the eyes of Jesus. Then decide how you can help that person.

How would my life change if I began to really care about other people?

 

DON’T JUDGE. Merciful people don’t say, “You got what you deserved” or “You caused this yourself.” Maybe the person did act recklessly, or refused to see a doctor, or continued to smoke or eat junk food. Let God be the judge of what happened. You are called to offer mercy and help in whatever way you can -no matter what the circumstances.

What attitudes would I have to change to stop judging others?

 

AVOID GOSSIP. Merciful people refrain from gossip because they know that gossip is another assault on an already injured person. Pope Francis tells us: “It is so terrible to gossip! At first it may seem like a nice thing, even amusing, like enjoying a candy. But in the end, it fills the heart with bitterness, and even poisons us” (Angelus, Feb. 16, 2014).

How will I keep myself from gossiping about other people?

 

REFUSE TO RETALIATE. Merciful people don’t hold a grudge or try to even the score. They let it go, give whatever happened to God, and forgive. Forgiveness allows you to let anger, hurt, and bitterness drain out of your heart. It restores a sense of peace to your soul. Without forgiveness you become a prisoner to your own resentments. With forgiveness, you mirror God’s mercy.

Who are the people that I need to forgive?

 

JESUS SAID, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7). Our efforts to become more merciful may change the people around us. More importantly, those efforts will guarantee a change in us. We’ll become kinder and more compassionate. We’ll become more like Christ.