The Archbishop of Manila, who today began preaching the spiritual exercises for Rome’s priests, told Vatican Radio: “Every act of violence shows a lack of mercy”
“Every act of violence shows a lack of mercy. This is the mystery that makes us all silent in the face of violence,” said Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle in an interview with Vatican Radio about the attacks of recent weeks. From today until Friday, Tagle will be preaching the spiritual exercises for Rome’s priests, on the theme “God of Mercy”.
“I personally cannot comprehend how a man, a human being, could do something of the kind to other innocent people. I do not wish to condemn anyone but, for me, to imagine – just imagine – a heart that is capable of doing such things… what thoughts, what spirits have influenced this heart? One word comes to mind: mercy. Is there mercy in these hearts? This Jubilee is a response, a clear response to merciless violence, everywhere.”
Tagle said the announcement of an Extraordinary Holy Year did not surprise him: “because, ever since the start of his pontificate, the Pope has always spoken about this aspect of Christian life: God’s mercy. And when he announced this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, I saw it as confirmation of this Pope’s spiritual impulse, as well as as an invitation to the whole Church to reflect on spiritual, pastoral and missionary life, so that all these aspects of Church life can be instruments, paths of God’s mercy.”
In the Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee, Francis wrote that it was open to Jews and Muslims too, because for them too, mercy is one of God’s attributes, one of the words that best describe him. “Yes,” Tagle observed, “and not only Jews and Muslims. In Asia, almost all of the ancient religious traditions – Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism – all of these religions have a tradition of mercy. For example, every morning, Buddhist monks go around the city asking for food and clothes, but not for themselves: for the poor. For lunch, the big table of the Buddhist monks is open to all! The monks eat last: now that is mercy! My hope is, that during this Jubilee Year, mercy will be the main reference point for interreligious dialogue, not just from an academic but also from a practical point of view.”
