Meaning of mercy (what is it, concept and definition)

What is Mercy:

Mercy is the ability to feel compassion for and support of those who suffer. The word mercy comes from the Latin " misere " which means " misery , need "; cor, cordis indicating " heart " and "ia" expressing " to the other "

Mercy can be manifested in various ways, be it by material means such as sheltering, feeding, giving to drink, dressing the one who does not have, among others, and by spiritual means, for example, teaching, giving good advice, comforting the sad, to pray to God for the well-being of human beings, etc.

The term mercy has different meanings, it all depends on the context in which it is used. Mercy is a small prominent piece located in the seats of the church choirs that allows you to rest when you are standing. Likewise, mercy is the dagger with which the medieval knights provided the coup de grace to the fallen rival.

Sometimes, the word mercy is confused with pity, which is wrong since pity is tenderness and compassion that cause the ills of other people, that is, it is a temporary feeling and does not seek a kind act to end the problems of others. Instead, mercy is the ability to feel the misery of others and offer help.

The term mercy can be used as a synonym for: compassion, piety, kindness, among others. Some antonyms of the word mercy are: impiety, inclement, evil, condemnation.

The term mercy in Hebrew in the Old Testament is "rehamîm" which means "viscera" in a figurative sense expresses an intimate, deep and loving feeling that binds two people. The second term is "hesed" which is synonymous with the previous term. Likewise, there are the words "sonhanan" that expresses "show grace, be merciful", "hamal" that expresses "sympathize, forgive" and, finally, "hus" that means "to be moved, to feel pity".

Mercy of god

For Catholics, mercy is the quality of God for which he forgives the sins of the faithful. Mercy is a divine attribute whereby believers ask God to have mercy for their sins, disobedience, and forgiveness.

Divine Mercy is the faith that Christians feel for the mercy of God believing that he sacrificed himself for the sins of his believers. Through this faith, the church guarantees the faithful that Jesus will forgive their faults, not through judgment, but as a gesture of salvation. Similarly, mercy is a lifestyle that Christianity proposes through interior actions such as the fulfillment of its promises, doing good, believing in God, among others, and external actions such as prayer, worshiping religious symbols, etcetera.

To understand a little about the above, in the Bible in the New Testament is the parable of the "Good Samaritan" known as "the parables of mercy" narrated in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 25 to 37, the It itself teaches the faithful that charity and mercy are the virtues that will lead men to piety and holiness.

Mercy and grace are often confused, even though they seem similar, they are not, since mercy refers to the forgiveness granted by God due to sincere repentance; instead, grace is God's free gift to help man fulfill the commandments, save himself or be holy.

Mercy as a value

Mercy as a value is the virtue of encouragement that leads human beings to be moved by the work and misery of others. Mercy is a kind attitude that one person shows to another who is going through a bad time.

Mercy is related to the term love since mercy is the capacity that makes us have compassion for the evils of others and encourages us to forgive, while love inclines us not to hold a grudge, to forgive.