The Name of God is Mercy Book Summary - The Name of God is Mercy Book explained in key points

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The Name of God is Mercy summary

Name: The Name of God is Mercy
Rating: 4.7 (52 reviews)
Author: Pope Francis

Pope Francis

Pope Francis's appeal for peace and hope

4.7 (52 ratings)

15 mins

What is The Name of God is Mercy about?

The Name of God is Mercy (2016) outlines Pope Francis’s view of God and the Bible, and the reasons that the most important attribute of God is mercy.

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The Name of God is Mercy
summarized in 7 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Learn the importance of mercy.

When the Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013, many wondered what kind of Pope he would be. Needless to say, the Pope has had an enormous impact so far, with a huge number of Catholics around the world hanging on his every word for spiritual guidance in their lives.

So, what kind of God does Pope Francis believe in?

As you’ll see in these blinks, it’s not a God of punishment, but one of love and – above all else – of mercy. Pope Francis has learned, from both personal experience and the scriptures, that to be merciful and to love others, despite their sins, is to be true to God.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

why you should never let the sun go down on your anger;
why a church should be like a field hospital; and
why we should avoid corruption like the plague.

God’s most important attribute is mercy.

“God” encompasses many things, like patience, benevolence and omnipotence. There’s one word, however, that God encompasses most: mercy.

God is often compelled to make a choice between mercy or punishment, and he always chooses mercy. For example, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26) tells us to let go of our anger before the sun sets, so we can wake joyfully the next day without resentment.

A lot of people have misinterpreted this quote as an instruction to hold onto your anger. That fits with the interpretation of God as vengeful – a far cry from the idea of God as merciful.

Mercy is what connects people to God, not anger or hate. God’s mercy is the anchor that stops people from spiraling into a life of sin. It reminds them that life has meaning. God’s mercy allows people to remember that they’ll always be loved and their attempts to live righteously aren’t in vain.

When people repent to gain God’s love, they strive to live better lives and make the world a better place. Faith in the mercy of God makes people want to help others as well. As it says in Psalm 145:7-9, “He executes justice for the oppressed; he gives food to the hungry.”

God also tells us that he’ll answer us when asked, which stops people from trying to take matters into their own hands. Imperfect humans are naturally less merciful than God, so important matters should not be entrusted to them alone.

God’s ability to show mercy rather than cause destruction is also a sign of his power. The same goes for humankind. That’s why God sent Jesus to be an example for humankind, so we could learn from a being in our own form.

Jesus was the human manifestation of God’s mercy.

There’s mercy to be found in every story about Jesus.

Jesus said that he didn’t come to Earth for the righteous, but for the sinners. He didn’t come for the healthy, but for the sick. He showed mercy by focusing his efforts on people who’d been cast out of society, such as lepers.

It’s the responsibility of the Church to carry out God’s mercy.

The bishops and priests of the Church are tasked with continuing the work of Jesus. They must strive to act in persona christi, meaning to act with Jesus’s sensitivity and willingness to go where he was needed.

God’s mercy reaches humanity through priests and confessors. One of Pope Francis’s former parishioners was a prostitute. She once thanked him for always calling her “Señora” because it taught her that even if she sold her body and didn’t have food or money, she was still valuable and deserved respect.

God loves everyone like a father.

God’s love is unconditional. He would never turn away his children, no matter what their sins – just like parents always have love for their child.

There are several instances in the Bible where God is likened to a parent. In the Gospel of Luke, for example, when Jesus is deeply moved by human suffering, the Greek word used to describe his emotions derives from a word referring to a mother’s womb. Jesus’s reaction is like that of a parent who is moved by her child’s suffering.

We have to accept that we’re all sinners.

In order to reap the full benefits of God’s mercy, we first have to accept that we need his love and guidance because we’re all sinners.

We’re all sinners because of original sin. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, they condemned humanity to weakness and the inability to always choose good over evil. We’re all bound to commit sin.

We must be open to sin, but not to corruption.

Sin is one thing, and corruption is another. Corruption is the act of convincing yourself and others that your sins are justified. Corrupt people may put up a facade of Christianity to conceal their sins in the hopes of deceiving not just their peers, but God himself.

Whereas sins are usually committed in a weak moment, corruption tends to be woven into the fabric of a person’s lifestyle, which makes it harder for corrupt people to return to God than for sinners. A corrupt person often focuses on money, fame and power rather than the virtues Jesus told us to pursue.

Showing each other God’s mercy by way of compassion will help heal society.

Humans aren’t divine beings like God. We can never be as merciful, patient or loving as He is. We can be compassionate, however, if we follow Jesus’s example.

The world would be a more peaceful place if people were more compassionate. Most people are indifferent to the tragedies they see on the news. They only care if it affects them.

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Best quote from The Name of God is Mercy

We touch the flesh of Christ in he who is outcast, hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned, ill, unemployed, persecuted, in search of refuge.

—Pope Francis

About the Author

Pope Francis is the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church and the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere. His unwavering commitment to mercy has caused a lot of controversy. He has published many other books, including The Church of Mercy, Walking with Jesus and Corruption and Sin: Some Thoughts on Corruption.

Who should read The Name of God is Mercy?

Theology students
People seeking religious guidance
Anyone who wants to learn more about the Pope

Categories with The Name of God is Mercy

Religion & Spirituality

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