The Roncalli Center - Aggiornamento

PORTIA from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes

The thronèd monarch better than his crown.

His scepter shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,

But mercy is above this sceptered sway.

It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.

It is an attribute to God himself.

And earthly power doth then show likest God’s

When mercy seasons justice.

Here's a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's words:

Officer Lawrence DePrimo, NYPDNo one shows mercy through twisted arm syndrome. Mercy falls the way gentle rain drops on the ground. Mercy acts as a double edged sword: it blesses the one who gives it and the one who receives it. Mercy is strong in the most stalwart people. Mercy looks better in a king than his own crown looks on him. A king’s scepter represents his earthly power, a symbol of majesty and a focal point of royal authority. But mercy is higher than a royal scepter; it is enthroned within in the hearts of kings, a quality of God himself. Kingly power seems most like God’s power when a monarch combines mercy with justice.

On November 14, 2012, no one twisted NYPD Officer Lawrence DePrimo's arm to purchase a pair of boots for a homeless man in Times Squares. The man's blistered feet prompted Officer DePrimo to purchase a pair of leather boots and put them on the man's frozen feet. His compassionate act was motivated by a movement within his heart. Justice was served not by Officer DePrimo's removal of the man to a shelter to hide the man from what the public fears and ignores. Rather, mercy born from compassion stirred others to do likewise.

In Luke 10: 25-37 , Jesus lays out the quality of mercy that he expects of his disciples.

"But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’

Jesus asked, "Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

The quality of mercy is not strained when its movement is born from the heart's compassion. Justice can only be served when we allow ourselves to be moved by grace to approach the unapproachable, touch the untouchable, bend low to serve those who others will not serve and speak on behalf of those who have no one to speak for them.

A risky business, this quality of mercy that Jesus demands. Officer DePrimo, who did not know that he was being photographed or watched while giving the man a pair of boots was accused of objectifying a homeless person. His merciful act found him the center of media attention and public praise that quickly turned sour when a reporter accused Officer DePrimo of objectifying a homeless person. Suddenly, the compassionate officer became the victim of his own mercy and put a strain on the quality of his mercy. Just or unjust? Worth the risk of his merciful act or not?

Discipleship does come with a price. Jesus never promises at the end of the parable that mercy will be easy. He simply tells us to show mercy, which seasons justice. Shakespeare got it right.