What is God's mercy? (from «The Treasures of Cornelius ALapide»)
As a property of light it is to illuminate, thus the property of God is to have mercy on his creatures, said San Nilo (Vit. Father.). Mercy is a natural and divine virtue; the Supreme Good is supremely merciful and beneficial. Therefore the Psalmist places mercy above all the works of God: – His compassions are above all his works (Psalm. 144,9). Saint Peter urges us to bless God the Father, due to the great mercy by which impulse has regenerated us to living hope: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his magnanimous mercy, regenerated us into a living hope! (I Petr. I,3). Finally the Church is turning to praying to God in the liturgy: «O Lord God, for whom it is entirely proper to always have pity and forgive, receive our request favorably" – A God whose property is always to have mercy and to spare, accept our entreaty.
Great and boundless is the mercy of God: 1° For its efficient cause, because it comes from God and his immense love for us; 2° For the object it presents to us. God has given us his Only Begotten Son, to show us how much abundance he spreads, through him, his mercies upon us; 3° For the subject to which it applies. We are nothing but earth worms, loaded with sins and miseries. He called us to himself and enabled us to receive his grace and glory. In this sense says the Psalmist, that "the abyss calls upon the abyss" – The abyss calls out to the abyss (Psalm. XL1, 7). The abyss of human miseries invokes the abyss of divine mercies; 4° For the multitude of gifts he has given us. In fact, who could enumerate the graces and favors with which God has filled us and continually showers us? This was what Saint Augustine had to say: 0 Gentleman, I have from your mercy all that I am; in fact what did I do, that I deserved to live for? What have I done, to deserve to be able to invoke you? No one can compare to you in mercy; from you, oh my God, my mercy, I received being, from you I received being good (Conc. 11, in Psalm. LVIII); 5° Respect to places and times. In fact it extends to all men of all times and places, according to those words of the prophet: «The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord» – The earth is full of God's mercy (Psalm. XXXII,5). For the saints this mercy lasts forever; 6° For the purpose it aims at, which is to lead us to the kingdom of eternal glory. Davide, rapt in ecstasy at the consideration of divine mercy, dice: «You have, oh Lord, your mercy is multiplied immensely" – You have multiplied your mercy (Psalm. XXXV,7).

«How sweet is your mercy, oh Lord; deh! let it never be removed from my memory... oh my God, my mercy!» – my God, my mercy (LVIII, 17). «To you, oh Lord, mercy belongs" – Tibi, Sir, misericordia (LXI,11). «Hasten to prevent us with your mercies, because we are reduced to poverty" – May your mercy overtake us quickly, because we have become too poor (78,8). «We have been filled with your mercy» – We are filled with your mercy (89,14). “The Lord is sweet and his mercy will last forever” – The Lord is sweet, His mercy is forever (99,5). «The Lord has delivered men into the hands of his mercies» – He gave them in mercy (CV,44). «With the Lord we find the mercy and exuberance of redemption» – With the Lord there is mercy and abundant redemption with him (29,7). "Gentleman, Savio exclaims, you have mercy on all men, because you can do everything" – You pity everyone, because you can do everything (Sap. XI,24); «and treat everyone with indulgence, because every creature belongs to you, oh God, who love souls" – But spare all, since it suits yours, Sir, who love souls (Ib. 27). «The approach of your mercy healed your children» – Your mercy is coming, sanabat (Ib. XVI,10). «God is compassionate and merciful, says Ecclesiasticus, on the day of tribulation he will forgive sins; he is the protector of all those who seek him with sincerity of heart" (II,13). O how great is the mercy of the Lord, and his clemency towards those who turn to him!» – How great is the Lord's mercy, and the propitiation of him to those who turn to him! (Ib. XVII,28). says Chrysostom: «What is sin?, compared to divine mercy? Spider's web that can no longer be seen at the first breath of wind"; and a famous author uttered this sentence: Between the last moan of a dying man and hell, there is an ocean of mercy in the middle. Ah, let's say with Ecclesiasticus: «Who will begin to tell the story of God's mercy?» – Who shall add to tell of his mercy?? (XVIII,4); he is in truth what St. Paul calls him, «Father of mercies» – Father of mercies (II Cor. I,3).
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