When I was a boy, we played a game called "Mercy." Two players would interlock their fingers. Each would try to get the advantage through strength or leverage. They would then bend the other player's fingers backward, making them ask for "mercy." The winner would then have mercy and release the other player.
An act of mercy is one that removes hurt and suffering. The winner in a game of mercy could do this. The players were connected. Each shared the struggle of the game. The winner knew the hurt of the loser, because many times before, this winner may have have had asked for mercy.
The truths we can learn in a child's game are surprising. As in the game, a true act of mercy shares in the suffering of the other person. This is something we do not want to do in real life. How many of us really can say we practice mercy by sharing in the suffering?
The Father sent the Son to know mercy. Jesus was a man; yet, also divine. In Jesus, God experienced the human condition from birth to death. God shared in our suffering, our hurt, our misfortune, our angst, and our condition.
When we see the need and only feel bad, we do not show mercy. Each of us, can easily see the affliction of others and feel compassion but it is hard to bring ourselves to share the suffering. God did. God became man. So that God could have mercy.
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