Facing Death–and Life–through Mercy

Last updated on: November 9, 2018 at 7:00 pm by Brad Roth

Facing Death–and Life–through Mercy 2018-11-09T09:04:55-05:00 Brad Roth

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die” – Rule of St. Benedict, 4:47

You’re going to die. Me too. So how should we live?

St. Benedict, the man from 4th/5th century Nursia, Italy who organized monastic communities devoted to prayer, wrote in his famous Rule: “Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die” (4:47). I don’t usually have too much trouble reminding myself that I will die. I think of death–especially near the end of my morning run. For me, the bare fact of death isn’t what’s most pressing. Yes, I’ll die. But more importantly, I will live. Now what?

It turns out that how we understand what (if anything) happens after death says a lot about how we live. This is why Benedict prefaces his statement by saying that we must “live in fear of judgment day” (4:44). It’s a bracing reminder that we will all, as the apostle Paul puts it, “appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). We will render an account of our lives.

But so too “perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18), and Benedict goes on to write “never lose hope in God’s mercy” (4:74). To know that we will die is to become profoundly aware of the ways that God shows us his mercy in the midst of life. Each moment is open to God’s mercy.

The biblical vision of God’s mercy runs deep. In the Old Testament, we read that God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). In the Apocrypha, the book of Sirach we read: “God’s mercy is as welcome in time of distress as clouds of rain in time of drought” (35:26). In the New Testament, Paul writes that we are to clothe ourselves mercy (Colossians 3:12). “Blessed are the merciful,” says Jesus, “for they shall be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Forgiveness and mercy are linked. Jesus taught we cannot worship unless we learn to forgive. We cannot pray without forgiveness. We cannot follow him without forgiveness. Cain’s son Lamech may have dreamed of 70-fold vengeance, but Jesus taught 70-fold mercy.

If we seek him, God shows us great mercy, and we’re called in turn to live lives of mercy. Maybe that’s key to living well and truly. We’re going to die. But seek and accept God’s mercy. Show mercy to others. You see, mercy is gift, and mercy points to the way that all life, every moment of it–even the hard parts and the struggles–is gift.

To be aware of our need for mercy awakens something in us. Author and attorney Bryan Stevenson, who as a young law student got involved in helping people wrongfully convicted by the criminal justice system, writes in his book, Just Mercy: “When you experience mercy, you learn things that are hard to learn otherwise. You see things you can’t otherwise see; you hear things you can’t otherwise hear. You begin to recognize the humanity that resides in each of us” (p.290).

It seems to me that mercy is what allows us to face death–and life. Where do you need to claim God’s mercy for yourself? Where do you need to show mercy to someone?

Previous Post

October 31, 2018

Purgatory for the Rest of Us

Next Post

November 15, 2018 Hurry and Unhurry in the Rural Church

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month January 2023 November 2022 May 2022 April 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the term for a Christian song of praise or worship?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalm Sonnet Chant Hymn

Books by This Author Books by Brad Roth

See All Titles »