“Lord, Have Mercy” Continued
Mar 10th, 2008 by michelle
This morning I found a passage in Let Us Attend by Fr. Lawrence Farley that explains what I was trying to say in the previous post on this topic.
Though the English word for “mercy” has a rather juridical feel (recalling the plea of a condemned man for mercy and pardon from a judge), the Greek has a wider meaning. In the repeated response, the Church prays not only for pardon, but for blessing, strength, rescue, the total outpouring of God’s generosity. The “mercy” we beg is the equivalent of the Hebrew term hesed, variously translated not only “mercy” (in the King James Version), but also “steadfast love,” “lovingkindness.” In this litany we cry for God’s covenant loyalty, His faithfulness revealed to His children in acts of saving strength. When we pray over and over again, “Lord, have mercy!” we are beseeching the God of our fathers to lift us up from all the pits into which we stumble.
Farley, Lawrence. Let Us Attend. California: Conciliar Press Ministries, Inc., 2007.
Very good point and it does tie in well with what you were saying. I’ve found myself making a point of saying it when I am praying for someone. And, I really like that book, I read it earlier this year.
Forgive me, my sister.
That’s good stuff. Someday it will sink into my brain, or more importantly, my heart! Lord have mercy on us all. Blessed Lent!