The mercy of God

[Katherine Clark]

We pray constantly, "Lord, have mercy". We pray for mercy at Church. We pray for mercy at home, we pray for mercy in our hearts. We ask for God to have mercy, for the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy, for the Holy Trinity to have mercy. Always we pray for mercy.

What are we asking for in this prayer? Do we ask God not to condemn us for our actions, thoughts, and words? Do we ask for God to grant us what we do not deserve, to let us off? Do we ask this alone? Is there something more for which we are begging God? Is there a fullness of meaning in mercy that I have missed.

Please help me to understand more of what I am asking for so that I can ask it more fully and more truly.

If this is posted in the wrong place, forgive me and move it.
Thank you in advance for the efforts and prayers that I know you will give to your responses.

In Christ,
Katherine

[Antonios]

Dear Katherine,

The word mercy in Greek is eleison (sp?), whose root word is eleia, which is olive, that is, olive oil. In past times, and even now in many cultures, olive oil is applied to physical wounds, such as burns and other injuries, as a method of healing. When we say, "Lord have mercy", we are, in a sense, asking the Lord to heal us and our wounds, physically but more so spiritually. This is one interpertation.

[Brock Joseph]

Kathrine,

Hello.

I think thats a good question. And yeah, if we say it 1,000 times a day it would be nice to know what it means!

I was wondering, what is your personal feelings or impulses or state of mind when you say "Lord have mercy", like what is your heart saying?

I think I find myself saying "Lord have mercy" with my lips but saying with my heart, "God I feel so screwed up and confused please help me because I don't know what else to do!"

Sometimes by praying/saying "Lord have mercy" I am saying "God, do what you do best! You are so kind, do it your way, do what you do!"

Sometimes I say "Lord have mercy" and I think about notions of "mercy" I have: like a scrappy little dirty poor guy begging a rich guy give him some coins to help him out of his destitute situation. The word "mercy" has engraved itself in my being like this example in particular (Begging) and its hard to change it into "healing oil". Lots of work trying to change an engraved definition!

Brock Joseph

[Katherine Clark]

So far I see we are asking God to be healing for our souls and to be generous in providing what we do not have and to be our guide and light and anchor.

That seems to be a good beginning to this discussion. I look forward to seeing others contribute.

Thanks
Katherine

[Paul Cowan]

James 4:2 Yet[a] you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.


Matthew 15:22
And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

Matthew 20:30-31
And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”
Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

Mark 10:47
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Luke 18:38
And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”



There seems to be a theme here. It is not a new invention to ask for mercy, eleison, healing, grace, forgiveness, help. For the fulfillment of the incarnation can be said in one sentence....

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have Mercy on me THE Sinner.

Paul

[Nina]

Dear Katherine, I hope this (http://sgpm.goarch.org/Monastery/index.php?p=8)passage from Philokalia; this (http://home.it.net.au/%7Ejgrapsas/pages/Jprayer.html)and this (http://goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article7124.asp)articles are somehow helpful. If I come across other info I will try to post.

[Kris]

The word mercy in Greek is eleison (sp?), whose root word is eleia, which is olive, that is, olive oil. In past times, and even now in many cultures, olive oil is applied to physical wounds, such as burns and other injuries, as a method of healing. When we say, "Lord have mercy", we are, in a sense, asking the Lord to heal us and our wounds, physically but more so spiritually. This is one interpertation.

Does anyone here know if this word has the same etymological roots in the various Semitic languages (specifically Hebrew and Syriac) as it does in the Greek?

In IC XC,
Kris