The word "mercy" is heard and used often in prayer and in the liturgy, so much so that we may have gotten quite used to the word.
At its core, mercy is forgiveness. The Bible speaks of God's love for sinners – that is, for all of us.
So in the Christian understanding, mercy belongs to God alone, and on the human level, we can only ask for God's mercy and we express God's mercy to us in acts of compassion and kindness.
The 1st reading tells of the people of God begging God for His mercy and to forgive them for their transgressions and to save them from the power of their enemies.
God is mercy and in His love for sinners, He forgives and is compassionate.
But in Jesus Christ, God's mercy is expressed in a profound way.
God's mercy is expressed in a sacrificial love as Jesus became the sacrifice to take away the sins of the world.
As Jesus said in the gospel, He came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
May we always be thankful for God's mercy and love and may we also follow Jesus to serve others especially in showing compassion and kindness to those who have done wrong to us.