Mercy And Forgiveness

Clamat Deus misericordiam volo. Qui quod vult Deus, Deo negat, a Deo sibi quod desiderat,vult negari. Misericordiam volo. Homo, petit Deus; sed tibi, non sibi. Misericordiam volo. Humanam misericordiam petit ut largiatur divinam. Est in coelis misericordia, ad quam per terrenas misericordias pervenitur. Domine, inquit, in coelo misericordia tua. Dicturus causam in judicio Dei, patronam tibi misericordiam, per quam liberari possis, assume. Qui de patrocinio misericordiae certus est, de venia sit securus, de absolutione non dubitet. Misericordia non solum causam praevenit, anticipat cognitorem, sed etiam sententiam revocat, absolvit addictos. Quod Ninivitae probant, quos jam sententiae subjectos, poenae traditos, ad victimam stantes, morti deditos, misericordia sic rapuit, sic tenuit, sic praevenit, ut maluerit Deus deduci sententiam, ne misericordiae quid negaret. Stabat quidem et tunc pro causa jejunium, aspergebat cineres, sternebat cilicium, dabat gemitus, fundebat lacrymas: et quod non poterat excusare verbis, luctibus temperabat, sed non valuit mutare sententiam, nisi perorans misericordia subvenisset. Misericordia et peccatores liberat, et restituit sanctos: quia nisi affuisset misericordia, etiam David cum adulterat, amiserat prophetiam; et Petrus cum negat, apostolici ordinis perdiderat principatum; et Paulus cum blasphemat, remanserat persecutor. Fatetur hoc Paulus cum dicit: Qui primus blasphemus fui, et persecutor, et injuriosus: sed misericordiam consecutus sum. Fratres, per misericordias pauperum misericordiam comparemus, ut possimus esse a poena liberi, de salute securi. Beati, inquit, misericordes: quia ipsi misericordiam consequentur. Gratis misericordiam sperat ibi, qui hic non fecerit misericordiam. Qui facit misericordiam, currit ad praemium; qui non facit misericordiam, decurrit ad poenam. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo VIII, De Jejunio et Eleemosyma Source: Migne PL 52.210c-211c

God proclaims: 'I desire mercy.' 1 Whoever denies God what God wants, wants God to deny him what he desires. 'I desire mercy.' O man, God asks not for Himself but for you. 'I desire mercy.' God asks for human mercy so that he may bestow Divine mercy. The mercy that is in heaven is what is attained by mercy on the earth. 'Lord,' it is said, 'Your mercy is in heaven.' 2 When you are to plead your case before the judgment of God, take mercy, through which you can be freed, as your advocate. Whoever is certain about having mercy as an advocate is assured of pardon, and need not doubt about forgiveness. Mercy not only preempts the proceedings and anticipates the judge, but it can even overturn the verdict and release those who have been condemned. The Ninevites bear witness to this, they who were already subjected to judgment, sentenced to punishment, prepared for execution, handed over to death, but mercy seized them, took hold of them, and protected them, so that God preferred that the sentence be overturned rather than mercy be denied. 3 Certainly fasting was also of help to their case, it sprinkled the ashes, it spread the sackcloth, it gave groans, it brought forth tears, and what it could not excuse with words it tempered with sorrow, but it would not have been able to change the sentence, unless mercy had come to help with its pleading. Mercy both frees sinners and restores saints, because unless mercy had been present when David committed adultery he would have lost the gift of prophecy, 4 and when Peter made his denial he would have lost the primacy of the order of Apostles, 5 and when Paul committed blasphemy, he would have remained a persecutor. Paul confesses this when he says, 'I who was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man, but I have obtained mercy.' 6 Brothers, through acts of mercy to the poor let us obtain mercy, so that we can be free of punishment and certain of salvation. 'Blessed are the merciful,' it is said, 'for they will obtain mercy.' 7 In vain he hopes for mercy there who has done nothing merciful here. He who does something merciful runs to the reward, he who does not rushes down to punishment. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 8, On Fasting And Mercy 1 Hosea 6.6 2 Ps 53.6 3 Jonah 3.5-10 4 2 Kings 11.4 5 Mt 26.68–75 6 1 Tim 1.13 7 Mt 5.7