# Mercy is essential for Christian life
*2016-03-01*

> Reflecting on the third week of Lent, Bill Young discusses the necessity of mercy and forgiveness as the foundation of the Christian faith.

## The Call to Mercy

Today is Tuesday of the third week of Lent. We are praying from a book called 'Renew Our Hearts,' a personal invitation to Lenten conversion from Pope Francis. The theme for today is 'Mercy is Essential for Christian Life,' based on Matthew 9:13: 'Go and learn what this means, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.'

## A Criterion for Faith

Jesus affirms that mercy is not only an action of the Father, but also a criterion for discerning who God's true children are. In short, we are called to show mercy because mercy has first been shown to us. Pardoning offenses is the clearest expression of a merciful love, and for us Christians, it is an imperative from which we cannot excuse ourselves.

## Finding Serenity Through Forgiveness

At times, it seems so hard to forgive, and yet pardon is the instrument placed into our fragile hands to attain serenity of heart. Letting go of anger, wrath, violence, and revenge are necessary conditions to achieve a serene, lively, and joyful heart.

## Living the Beatitudes

Let us heed the Apostles' exhortations: 'Do not let the sun go down on your anger.' Above all, let us listen to the words of Jesus, who made mercy an ideal of life and a criterion for the credibility of our faith. 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy' (Matthew 5:7). This is the beatitude to which we should particularly aspire to in this holy season.

*We must strive to imitate the mercy of Jesus in our behavior toward others to find true serenity of heart.*