The Mercy of God
Yes, my God, I believe your mercy is unlimited; I believe with certainty that it is now being given to me. (OOCC, X, p. 197; STA, 279)
Holy Scripture presents mercy as one of the attributes of God. God’s mercy is not limited and conditional, but it is as infinite as God himself. The God of mercy, besides forgiving the failures of the one who turns away from the wrong path, manifests his compassion by offering encouragement by his personal presence in the life of the one who turns to him. As a result, not only does the person feel encouraged to carry on his life according to the plan of God, but he is also able to encourage others to follow the demands of a life lived according to God’s will. Thus, the power of God’s merciful presence in the life of the person not only makes him a person of inner strength, but also fills him with the power to be a source of God’s merciful presence in the life of the other. St. Vincent Pallotti believed in the infinite and unlimited mercy of God that had been showered upon him. He knew that it was the mercy of God that sustained him at every moment in his life and gave him the inner energy to cope with the troubles of his life. He was able to be a source of encouragement for others only because of the existence of the mercy of God in his life. Living under the protection of God’s mercy, St. Vincent Pallotti experienced a sense of security to live his life joyfully and to spend his life generously for others.
Do I believe in God’s merciful presence in my life? Do I place myself under the protection of God’s mercy? Does the mercy of God make me a courageous person? Am I able to be source of encouragement for others in their trouble?
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. (2 Cor. 1: 3-4)