Pope John Paul II may have been the pope known as the Pope of Mercy, having emphasized God’s mercy in his teachings and being the one to approve and promote the devotion to the Divine Mercy, but we cannot deny how Pope Francis has carried on this advocacy in our time.
After all, wasn’t Pope Francis who said this unforgettable quote: “…who am I to judge?”
While the said quote may have been a point of argument from people with varying points of view, it only shows how the pope found it very important to convey God’s mercy in His teachings.
Here are some more quotes from Pope Francis about the unfathomable mercy of God.
1. Jesus carries those who are hurt
“Jesus welcomes [all]. But not only does He welcome, He goes out to see people just as He went out to find this man. And if people are hurt, what does Jesus do? Scold them because they are hurt? No, He comes and He carries them on His shoulders.”
From this quote, we are given an image of God who helps and understands sinners. Instead of being a stern judge with no compassion, Pope Francis shows Jesus as someone who welcomes everyone with a forgiving heart.
Jesus knows that sin is not something that hurts only other people. It also hurts us. It harms our souls and takes away our peace. It brings us so much guilt and shame.
When we are so bowed down with the burden of our sins, Jesus invites us to come to Him. He knows that we are hurting, and He comes when we are too weak to carry on.
2. Jesus chooses the weak and the small
“And when he says to his people: ‘I haven’t chosen you because you are the strongest, the biggest, the most powerful. I have chosen you because you are the smallest of them all. You could add: the most miserable. This is whom I have chosen’. This is love”.
God has mercy upon the weak and the small, to those who are considered insignificant by the world.
To be chosen by God, one does not need to be strong, tall, rich or famous. One doesn’t have to be already perfect. But God can come to those who know their smallness like little children and who need His help above all.
3. Even justice needs mercy
“A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just… Let us remember the Prophet Isaiah who says that even if our sins were scarlet, God’s love would make them white as snow. This mercy is beautiful.”
This is a very enlightening quote that illustrates a deeper dimension of justice. Pope Francis invites us to understand that for justice to be true, it must also include mercy.
Without mercy, even justice will not be complete.
4. We need mercy to love one another
“Without mercy we have little chance nowadays of becoming part of a world of ‘wounded’ persons in need of understanding, forgiveness, love.”
Tough love is a reality that enables us to be strong enough to guide those who are lost. But mercy should never be lost along the way.
We need mercy to understand each other’s weaknesses. With mercy, we can start the process of healing and forgiveness.
5. God shows His mercy through His patience
“Let us … remember Peter: three times he denied Jesus, precisely when he should have been closest to him; and when he hits bottom he meets the gaze of Jesus who patiently, wordlessly, says to him: “Peter, don’t be afraid of your weakness, trust in Me.” Peter understands, he feels the loving gaze of Jesus and he weeps. How beautiful is this gaze of Jesus — how much tenderness is there! Brothers and sisters, let us never lose trust in the patience and mercy of God!”
How many times have we sinned? After sinning so many times, should we give up?
Pope Francis reminds us of the God who never gives up on us. He gave Peter as an example. Even though Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus still gave him the chance to repent and to come back to him.
Let us focus on the loving gaze of Jesus, even after we committed a sin.
6. God’s mercy is for everyone
“God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else – God is in this person’s life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life. Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow.”
God’s mercy is not only for a few. His mercy is not only for the holy.
No matter how miserable and guilty we are, Pope Francis reminds us that in God, there is still hope. We can still approach Him as we trust His mercy.
Never think that you are excluded from God’s love.
The Mercy of God
“The path to our encounter with Jesus… are his wounds. There is no other.” – Pope Francis
Jesus was wounded for our sake. He suffered even death because of His great love and mercy for all of us.
By ourselves, we fall. We often fall. But with the mercy of God, we can get up again and again until that day when we can finally draw near to Him and never depart from His presence forever.
Let us hope. Let us trust in the great mercy of God. Whatever you are going through, God sees. He understands your deepest pain. And He loves you with His compassionate and merciful heart.
“God’s justice is his mercy given to everyone as a grace that flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus the Cross of Christ is God’s judgement on all of us and on the whole world, because through it he offers us the certitude of love and new life.” – Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13 (NABRE)
You may also want to read “Too Sinful For God’s Love? 3 Bible Verses To Keep In Mind”.
Jocelyn Soriano is the author of Mend My Broken Heart, Defending My Catholic Faith and 366 Days of Compassion. She also writes about faith and writing at Single Catholic Writer.
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