Being rich in mercy does not mean that anything goes. St. Paul, for example, when he hears of immorality in the Church at Corinth urges excommunication, “The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst.” Certain behavior is expected of a follower of Jesus. However, Pope Francis stresses mercy in the Church as the best way to reflect Divine Mercy. God never gives up on anyone no matter what they have done. Jesus in his public ministry embodied mercy. “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” The practice of the Church must always reflect Divine Mercy even when it insists on Christian morality.
