Catholics view mercy differently than many people in the secular world, especially pertaining to forgiveness, healing and reconciliation, Bishop Michael Izen said.
In a “Practicing Catholic” episode set to air at 9 p.m. Feb. 7 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM, Bishop Izen told producer Rachael McCallum, “We’re always called to pursue holiness. We see an opportunity to extend mercy as an opportunity to imitate the Father. Jesus says, ‘Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.’ Every time we have the opportunity to forgive someone, it’s not just a chance to sacrifice or to be nice. It’s an opportunity to imitate God himself.”
If we are to be forgiven by the Father, Bishop Izen said, we must need and want to forgive others. He further illustrated this point with the parable of the prodigal son.
“The Church reminds us that the Father has forgiven us,” Bishop Izen said. “We all have the responsibility of reminding ourselves how much we need that. We’re broken and we need his mercy. And I think when we remember that, then when somebody else offends us, it doesn’t necessarily make it easy, but it should logically say, ‘Oh yeah, I screw up and the Lord forgives me. I need to forgive this person in front of me.’”
Bishop Izen said unforgiveness, especially with close loved ones, can lead to a grudge, which is never good. He said a grudge hurts us more than the person we’re holding it against. Quoting St. Augustine, Bishop Izen said, “Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and then waiting for the other person to die.”
Mercy and justice are not opposites in Bishop Izen’s mind. Neither are at odds with each other, he said, comparing it to the adage, “Hate the sin, but love the sinner.” Forgiveness still recognizes the evil of sin, but someone persisting in sin might require more than just mercy.
“We have to be just sometimes in order to help a person start making better choices,” Bishop Izen said. “Sometimes we can be merciful because we can tell that they have learned their lesson already. … But when it does persist and they don’t seem contrite, then the situation is going to call for justice still.”
Bishop Izen said it is a balance to have justice and mercy, as boundaries can be applied in day-to-day life as consequences for bad behavior. However, Bishop Izen said that the Lord talks about both judgment and mercy. God is merciful and forgiving, but there will be a reckoning when we must account for our actions.
“We’ve got to be responsible,” Bishop Izen said. “But our Lord also assures us that mercy is available even for the worst of sinners.”
To hear more from Bishop Izen about the importance of forgiveness and mercy, tune into “Practicing Catholic,” which repeats at 1 p.m. Feb. 8 and 2 p.m. Feb. 9.
The program also includes Father Allen Paul Eilen who shares how each of us is called to holiness and to become a saint. Also, Mark Sanislo shares his journey as an artist and how he uses his craft to glorify God.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, “Practicing Catholic” can be heard after it has aired at archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
