H.H. Pope Tawadros II Identifies Four Causes That Hinder the Work of Mercy: Judgment, Pride, Adherence to the Letter, and Lack of Communication with God

H.H. Pope Tawadros II delivered his weekly Wednesday Meeting sermon this evening from the Church of Virgin Mary and St. Cyril “Pillar of Faith” in Cleopatra, Alexandria, on the occasion of the church’s celebration of the Golden Jubilee marking fifty years since the celebration of the first Divine Liturgy there. The sermon was broadcast on Christian satellite channels and on the online C.O.C. channel affiliated with the Church’s Media Center.

His Holiness continued the series “Spiritual Laws for Life” and spoke today about “Obstacles to Mercy,” reflecting on the verse: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) He explained that it is in the nature of God to be merciful toward His creation.

His Holiness addressed the merciful nature of God in both the Old and New Testaments, as follows:

-God revealed Himself as a merciful God: “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” (Exodus 34:6)
-The work of God is mercy.
-His mercy is everlasting and continuous.
-He did not merely teach mercy, but also demonstrates mercy in the moment of need: “Has no one condemned you?” … “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:10–11)
-God dealt with the weakness of the Apostle Peter through love, which is one expression of mercy. St. Macarius the Great says, “Just as fire consumes wood, so mercy consumes (extinguishes) many sins.”

His Holiness then raised the question: What prevents a person from showing mercy?

1- Judgment:
This is exemplified by the Pharisee’s attitude toward the sinful woman, when he judged and condemned her, whereas the Lord Christ saw her as a human being in need of salvation. “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1, NKJV) A person who judges others does not discover his own weakness because of the hardness of his heart.

2- Pride and a sense of entitlement:

A person’s sense of entitlement and feeling that he is better than others is an expression of hardness of heart: “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) Before the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Make us worthy to pray thankfully,” asking for the grace of being made worthy to pray.

3- Adherence to the letter rather than the spirit:

This was demonstrated by the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees, who adhered to the letter and therefore failed to see the miracle of the healing of the blind man: “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25) Mercy according to the spirit, however, addresses and heals many situations in life.

4- Losing one’s life with God (lack of communication with God):

Mercy is the fruit of a strong relationship with God. In the Midnight Prayer, the priest says five words: Amen, Alleluia, and “Kyrie eleison” three times. In the first “Kyrie eleison,” we ask God to take away the heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh. In the second, we ask God to teach the heart how to show mercy. In the third, we ask to live in mercy every hour. This leads us to “Alleluia” (joy), and we conclude the journey with “Amen.”

Pope Tawadros concluded by advising: “Choose the way of mercy with your family, in your social relationships, in your relationships within the Church, and in your relationships within society. Be attentive, because hardness of heart deprives you of heaven, while mercy opens for you the door of heaven.”

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