What is Mercy?

Mercy flows from a compassionate heart. Compassion comes from the Latin cum (with) and passion (to suffer). Compassion literally means to suffer with. Human beings are broken people living in a broken world who suffer in body and soul. At some point in our lives, we may be visited by loneliness, shame, depression, despair, and fear of death. Mercy and compassion are intricately linked. Compassion moves us to enter into another’s suffering. By walking alongside them, offering ourselves as companions, we give them the first signs of hope by sharing their pain and extending comfort. This is the first step to taking care of body and soul. This is mercy.

Over one thousand years ago, St. Augustine posed this question: “What does love (mercy) look like?”

It has hands to help others.
It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.
It has eyes to see misery and want.
It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.

This is what love looks like. ~ Augustine

Always Mercy heeds the call of those suffering in body and soul. We can all respond with mercy. Always.

Since 2006, Deaconess Pamela Boehle-Silva, RN, has traveled to Kenya, working with her deaconess sisters providing mercy to the poor and needy.