I missed my deadline for my article for the Feast of Divine Mercy, but with the upcoming Feast of Pentecost celebrating the Holy Spirit Who instructs on all things, including the definition of Divine Mercy, there is no better day than Ascension Thursday to hold that up. And this is necessary because ever since I’ve become active in the pro-life movement, I’ve heard a lot about mercy from people who purport to have a corner on the definition. Corners are just that, finite and entire. But the corner definitions of Mercy that I’ve heard require some serious calisthenics to hold up.

This is not to say that indulgence serves no purpose because the Catholic Church has a book of indulgences precisely because once Mercy is applied, more might be required to insure that a bruised reed is not broken. (Isaiah 42:2-4.) And so, what is Mercy? Mercy is knowing Jesus, of course. Well, Who is He, anyway?

Is an example of Mercy or Jesus the pro-lifer who interferes with other pro-lifers standing at an abortion facility with a big picture of a dead baby? Or meditatively uttering the words, “Neither do I condemn you,” gratuitously as though the dead baby picture was a condemnation? Does regretting one’s abortion give one license for such behavior toward others? No, but being uncomfortable with oneself and unforgiving might motivate one to blame a picture for one’s tragic decision.

Let’s look at the well-rehearsed example of Mercy a little better. Of course, Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you” but He also said, “Sin no more.” Was it necessary for Jesus to tell the adulteress anything more when she had just by the skin of her teeth escaped being stoned to death? Of course, He said nothing else to her. What was there to add? “Your sin almost cost you your life and look at the ugly chaos you’ve caused and the humiliation you’re enduring now? Can you see what a deadly prank Satan played on you?” Today adultery also brings chaos: death (HIV rather than stones), broken families.

If the picture of a dead baby drove the woman who today regrets her abortion into the clinic all the more, it is because she needed to do that before obvious logic changed her mind. Or there could be a myriad of other reasons, including that she decided that anyone who could hold up such a picture could not possibly have anything worthwhile to tell her. Such is judgment. Although I have observed that many young women who make such judgments do so out of ignorance because many were not even born when abortion was illegal and so in this day of virtual reality have no foundation for such obvious realities. No it’s not really a baby. No it’s not really murder. And so forth. Nevertheless, I had my share of people coming to me for information or to speak only because I had such a picture. The indisputable Truth, especially in a picture that transcends all languages, can transform the world, as well as turn back women who would otherwise have had abortions.

That’s why that picture works so well. It interrupts the process of blindly going through with a socially acceptable solution to a “problem” with shock. God created shock, along with fear and doubt and so forth because they serve a purpose. The woman entering the abortion clinic does not deserve to live with the tragedy of an abortion for the rest of her life only because she was overwhelmed by fear born of distrust of God or for being ignorant. Mercy can require bluntness. And while not alarming her with such a picture can cause the pro-life activities to be harmonious, there is no real Peace there.

How do we discern such things. Again, obedience. WWJD? Love the women…by sparing them proper reactions to murder?

(“What is Peace? What is Justice? What is Mercy? Peace is NOT Harmony. Justice is NOT an Eye for an Eye. Mercy is NOT Indulgence.” is Article #5 of Anna Maria Agolli’s Self-Syndicated Column, TRANSFORM THE WORLD © November 27, 2007 Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal)

Anna Maria Agolli is the head of Feast of the Holy Innocents – The End of Herod, an effort that can eradicate abortion and corruption by virtue of processing a federal complaint for justice. Information and a petition can be found on her website:
http://www.geocities.com/anna_agolli/The_End_of_Herod.html
http://www.geocities.com/duevoltetre/29March07KennedyLetter.htm
http://www.cambridgewhoswho.com/Member_Profile/Anna_Agolli/231124.html
http://www.cambridgewhoswho.com/Member_Profile/PopeBenedictXVI_/8552.html