How to be Merciful?

[Nelka]

It seems that whwnever somebody says or does something awful they never say sorry or ask for forgiveness.

Either they don’t care or have far too much pride.

I never get the chance to show mercy and forgive people.

 

[acadian]

You can forgive them, even if they don’t ask for it.

 

[indiancatholic]

The state of sin is such that it is very difficult to ask forgiveness unless the grace of god is in our life so even if they don’t ask for forgiveness forgive them and most important love and pray
for them . JMJ

 

[mountee]

Love your answer Acadian.

 

[JRKH]

It seems that whenever somebody says or does something awful they never say sorry or ask for forgiveness.

Either they don’t care or have far too much pride.

I never get the chance to show mercy and forgive people.

This is not so…You choose to forgive whether they ask or not…
Nowhere in the Gospel of Christ does it require another to ask us for forgiveness or even that they repent of their trespass against us before we forgive them…

We are told to forgive so that God may forgive us in equal measure. Would you like God to forgive you ALL of your trespasses??

Consider this image.
Two hands, both open.
Open hands can grasp and hold onto each other.
One hand (or both hands) draws back and becomes a fist.
Connection is broken.
The hand that remains open (or opens again) through forgiveness can cover, can grasp, can hold the closed hand but the closed hand cannot cover, grasp or hold the open hand. Thus connection cannot be totally restored.
Make sure yours is the open hand…

Peace
James