Articles

Mercy wins

How can we be merciful in daily life?

Mercy is not for the faint of heart. Some people might consider it as sugarcoating tenderness, maybe even weakness, but is it really? Isn’t it easier to respond with revenge or punishment? In recent years, our worldview and daily interactions have become more and more merciless. A wrong phrase in a public conversation, and your career is at stake. A wrongdoing, and a severe punishment results, in the name of protecting society. Even in our religious communities, we tend to be less forgiving when it comes to our moral obligations: is that person “watering down” the Gospel? Or that other one too rigid? It might be good to take a look where these narratives take us: we will stay more and more among like-minded people and shut off from those who are different, struggling or just seeking meaning. This month, our authors share the power of mercy and forgiveness.