God’s Merciful Compassion
There will be times when we will be tempted to use and abuse compassion. And if we do so, we end up harming the least of these. It does not give life; it does not feed the soul. But we also harm ourselves. We embolden self-will. We attempt to subvert God’s will. The result of the use and abuse of compassion are not life-giving; they are life-taking because, at its core, compassion is about mercy.
The Scepter of Life
…and this is the mystery of the crucifixion. By subjecting himself to the pinnacle of earthly power, the scepter of death, Jesus sets himself up to display the power of life. No one has this power but him.