Definition of "mercy"

[Jen95]

I often don’t understand the way that the word “mercy” is used, and it seems to be used as if it means the same thing as Christian love or Christian charity.

Pope Francis: ‘Mercy is the true face of love’ - Vatican News

I understand that God has power over us, and therefore He has the capacity to be merciful, but we as individual people, don’t have power over other people the same way.
So, are people using the word “mercy” interchangeably with charity?

 

[sudy]

I believe it’s more along the lines of compassionate understanding… love the sinner, hate the sin. It encompasses justice, too, rather than unconditional forgiveness. It’s akin to pity, I think.

 

[DrawNearToGod]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[MPat]

I often don’t understand the way that the word “mercy” is used, and it seems to be used as if it means the same thing as Christian love or Christian charity.

See “Summa Theologiae”, Second Part of the Second Part, Question 30 “On Mercy” (Summa Theologica). It gives the definition: “As Augustine says (De Civ. Dei ix, 5), mercy is heartfelt sympathy for another’s distress, impelling us to succor him if we can.”. The connection to love can be seen from “God takes pity on us through love alone, in as much as He loves us as belonging to Him.” (and the context).

Also see translator’s comment: " The one Latin word “misericordia” signifies either pity or mercy. The distinction between these two is that pity may stand either for the act or for the virtue, whereas mercy stands only for the virtue.".