The Message and Ministry of Mercy
[Thanks to the Brownsville Press newspaper for offering the opportunity to publish this article and work to reclaim Christian culture in our country. This article was published on September 27, 2017.] Mercy is a perplexing reality. We hear frequently of God’s mercy, made manifest in Jesus Christ, from pastors and fellow Christians. We read of God’s merciful provision for His people, and of Jesus’ acts of mercy, throughout the Sacred Scriptures. Mercy is central to the perfect prayer that Jesus taught us: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Mt. 6:12; emphasis added). Still, it is difficult for many of us to understand and apply the full extent of God’s mercy. Quite often, we desire that God’s mercy be extended to us, for we know that we are sinners, but we are slower to extend God’s mercy to others. We simply don’t get the fact that God’s mercy is for everyone, every time. During the past couple of Su...