Mercy is an active help, an act of compassion for one's neighbor. There is a Christian and secular interpretation of this concept. Similar in manifestation, these feelings stem from different motivations.
Instructions
Step 1
Mercy is one of the basic Christian virtues, a manifestation of love for one's neighbor, promoted by the New Testament. It does not matter in which direction the act of assistance is directed - a poor man or a rich man, healthy or crippled, beautiful or ugly. One of the manifestations of this feeling is giving alms. Most theologians agree that giving to the poor should be done without any hesitation about whether the money will benefit him. A Christian is compassionate to everyone in need, he shows kindness and sympathy to everyone because he sees in him the image of the Lord. His act of compassion is not just an occasional gesture, but a way of thinking and a lifestyle.
Step 2
The Church calls for various acts of material charity: feeding the hungry, clothe the naked, providing shelter to the stranger, visiting the sick or prisoner in prison. However, above these virtuous deeds, spiritual mercy is valued, which consists in instructing sinners, enlightening the ignorant, consoling sad, good advice, praying for neighbors, forgiving offenses. Sincere love for God coming from the heart should be directed to people, each of whom is worthy of compassion.
Step 3
The secular understanding of mercy implies the same types of material and moral help and support. However, unlike the religious interpretation of this virtue, it is guided by the rational idea of humanism. A philanthropist does good in order to improve the life of society. Helping the weak, a person rises, approaches the moral ideal, but this is not the main goal of the act of compassion. Concern for the salvation of the soul in the secular world has given way to practical goals - charity as a form of organized charity is by no means always interested in the thoughts of donors, it solves specific social problems. Both secular and religious morality agree that true mercy is anonymous, it does not wait for a response.
