By Mike Soika
Mercy is a theme I continue to revisit – mostly because I fail miserably in the application of mercy to those who aren’t my friends and family.
In his book, The Sign of Jonas, Thomas Merton wrote a beautiful passage on the topic of mercy; one that haunts me every time I find myself failing the test of forgiveness.
The Voice of God is heard in Paradise:
“What was vile has become precious…I have always known the vile as precious: for what is vile I know not at all.
What was cruel has become merciful…I have always overshadowed Jonas with My mercy, and cruelty I know not at all. Have you had sight of Me, Jonas, My child? Mercy within mercy, within mercy. I have forgiven the universe without end…”
It feels to me like we are living in a time of exceptional vile which can be viewed in all sectors of our culture. We certainly see it in politics, but vile behavior can also be found in the entertainment industry, in sports, and even in religion.
And don’t get me started on the men (and women) who preyed upon young girls for their own carnal pleasures. Vile is an easy tag for them, at least it is for me.
“I have always known the vile as precious…I have forgiven the universe without end.”
I am challenged beyond my capability to see Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, Jeffery Epstein, or Mitch McConnel as precious (just to name a few.) And if the term precious is a bar too high for me to climb – I also can’t get to mercy for them. I can’t forgive them for what they have done to the people and institutions of our country for their own personal gain of power and money.
Thomas Merton may say it more eloquently, but we Quakers also call ourselves to a higher standard. When we say “there is that of God in everyone” aren’t we really saying that everyone – and we mean everyone – is precious? And if everyone is precious – aren’t we also saying that everyone is deserving of our mercy? I’m sorry, but I just can’t get there, at least not at this point in my spiritual journey. The best I can do is give over my anger to the Divine and ask for patience; taking comfort in the knowledge that I am precious in the eyes of the Spirit and that I am overshadowed with God’s mercy, within mercy, within mercy. I certainly need it.