The problem with mercy

What is mercy? Why would someone have a problem with it? What happens when you invite Jesus to join you for a conversation?

"The problem with mercy" is a reflection on John 3:19-21.

And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.

Works Referenced

BibleHub. “1656.eleos.” Accessed February 1, 2025.  https://biblehub.com/greek/1656.htm 

Budde, Mariann Edgar. “Homily: A Service of Prayer for the Nation.” Washington National Cathedral. January 25, 2025. https://cathedral.org/sermons/homily-a-service-of-prayer-for-the-nation/

Culpepper, R. Alan. The Gospel and Letters of John (Interpreting Biblical Texts). Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1998. 

Holmes, Laura Sweat and George Lyons. John 1-12: A Commentary in the Western Tradition (New Beacon Bible Commentary). Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 2020. Kindle edition. 

Kanno-Youngs, Zolan, Tim Balk, and Erica L. Green. "Bishop Asks Trump to ‘Have Mercy’ on Immigrants and Gay Children." The New York Times. January 21, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/trump-bishop.html

Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle edition.

Silva, Pedro. “The Way Shower.” Daily Ripple, January 31, 2025. https://dailyripple.substack.com/p/the-way-shower 

U.S. House of Representatives, 119th Congress. “House Resolution 59.” https://trackbill.com/bill/us-congress-house-resolution-59-expressing-the-sense-of-the-house-of-representatives-that-the-sermon-given-by-the-right-reverend-mariann-edgar-budde-at-the-national-prayer-service-on-january-21st-2025-at-the-national-cathedral-was-a-display-of-political-activism-and-condemning-its-distorted-message/2629579/

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Medium, Twitter, or Tik Tok. Questions? Write us at [email protected].