Spiritual Perspectives
The Quality of Mercy

By Kathy Coleman
Special to The Independent

"The quality of mercy is not strained, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath: It is twice blessed: It blesses him that gives and him that takes... Mercy... is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God Himself. And earthly power doth then show likest God's when mercy seasons justice."

When I was in high school, our English Literature classes were required to memorize these lines from William Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice." They were the words of Portia in her courtroom scene. I can honestly say that these lines didn't mean much to me at the time, other than the fact that I knew I must set them to memory. As the same time, I liked those words — some in particular. And as I searched my mind for a beginning for this article, I remembered those words — especially my favorites.

"The quality of mercy." Mercy — divine blessing, loving kindness, pity, leniency. Sounds like one of God's innumerable attributes, doesn't it? And of course, it is. Yet, since we are all created in God's own image, His qualities, like the "quality of mercy" are inherent in each one of us.

And that "quality of mercy is not strained." When God Himself dispenses mercy — it is not filtered. It is not portioned out, it is not measured. "It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath." God's mercy falls on us all — gently.

"It is twice blessed. It blessed him that gives and him that takes." I hope that we are able to say, "Been there. Done that." Been there as Giver. And been there as Taker. That very awareness that we have both bestowed mercy and received mercy makes all the difference in our lives. To those who have been given much, much is expected. In the area of forgiveness, where mercy is needed most, the same principle applies. To those who have been forgiven much, much is expected. When we are forgiven by those we have wounded, and if we are truly grateful, that gratitude overflows into forgiveness and mercy toward those who have wounded us.

Forgiving someone heals not only the one who has been forgiven but the one who forgives as well. Until that time comes, we are both in bondage. The one needing forgiveness is bound by the one who absolutely refuses to forgive. The one who refuses to forgive is bound by himself or herself. The result is neither are free. We cause needless suffering to ourselves and to others by refusing to forgive.

In The Lord's Prayer, the very prayer Jesus Himself taught to His disciples — and to us — we pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We must be very careful when we pray those words. We must listen and we must hear what we are praying — what we are asking God our Father to do. We are asking God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive. Is that what we want? If we have forgiven everyone from our hearts — then pray on. If not, then maybe we should omit those words or, better still, ask for help in accepting the graces God gives us to reach out in love and to forgive from our hearts.

There are all sorts of spiritual books, essays, homilies, retreats, etc. dedicated to this all-important and difficult issue — forgiveness — and they are really great. They have ways of touching us and opening us to an awareness of what really matters. In my own life, such instruments of healing have, I am certain, prepared me for a very special moment of awareness. I'm sure you have had such moments. None are alike. All are special. They are from God, so they are precious, and they are sacred. This is one of mine.

I was meditating on forgiveness and the prospect of being healed from hurts in my life. I have never been a "poor me," victim type, but we all have been hurt. And, from time to time, we find ourselves playing our hurts through, like a tape or a CD, over and over again. I supposed that is what I was doing, giving the Lord Himself a recap of my various wounds when Jesus silenced me with two small words — "So what." His words were not spoken judgmentally or disappointedly. They were comforting words, spoken gently and lovingly. They were spoken by the One who delights in showering you and me with His "quality of mercy."

"So what" doesn't mean that our pain doesn't matter. Nor does it mean that the Lord doesn't care. Jesus is there with us in all we experience — our joys and our sorrows. And when we are hurting, He hurts along with us and He sees us through. He doesn't get us "out of it," He sees us "through it." He will never leave us, and He will never let us down. When we focus on Jesus rather than on ourselves, then we are truly "living" in Him.

I heard what I was meant to hear. And I understood what I was meant to understand. In God's plan for me, He gives me life and a million reasons for living. He graces me with countless gifts. I am blessed with so much love — first by God and then through His people. It was in that moment of awareness that everything was right.

Absolutely everything! I was so filled with peace, and joy, and love that there was no room for conflict, or sadness, or resentment. I have always believed the words "Thy Kingdom come" in The Lord's Prayer had a meaning something like this. Whatever is going on in Heaven — and what is going on is just perfect — let it be that way here on earth — in our hearts — where it counts most. For me, in that grace-filled moment, it was Heaven. And to the petty, self-centered things I cried about and held on to for dear life, I could actually say "So what" and mean it.

Naturally I have miles to go, but I am on the journey. I am certain that failure to forgive is the greatest obstacle to healing, freedom, and living as God intends us to live. Just knowing this is invaluable. It is where we must begin. When with the Lord's help, we understand what living really means, when forgivness and loving kindness reign in our hearts, then we become "attributes to God Himself." And that is the day "when mercy seasons justice."

Kathy Coleman, originally from Lake Charles, La., has volunteered in parish ministry in the Diocese of Gallup for 33 years. Messages for Coleman can be left with Sacred Heart Cathedral's Department of Religious Education at (505) 722-5485.

This column is the result of a desire by community members, representing different faith communities, to share their ideas about bringing a spiritual perspective into our daily lives and community issues.

For information about contributing a guest column, contact Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at the Independent: (505) 863-8611, ext. 218 or lizreligion01@yahoo.com.