Our February Touchstones theme is “Mercy.” It is hidden. The “it” is mercy. It is hidden within our second principle in which we affirm “justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.” Mercy is implicit rather than explicit. It occupies the space between equity and compassion. And it is informed by the principle of the inherent worth and dignity of every individual. If this were not true, mercy would seldom have any standing.
Mercy allows us to forge deeper connections where little connection exists. Rather than mercy, Bryan Stevenson focuses on “just mercy” writing, “The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.” Stevenson adds, “…we all need mercy, we all need justice, and—perhaps—we all need some measure of unmerited grace.” “Just mercy” and restorative justice support connections across differences like class and race. Stevenson writes, “When you experience mercy, you learn things that are hard to learn otherwise. You see things you can’t otherwise see; you hear things you can’t otherwise hear. You begin to recognize the humanity that resides in each of us.” Mercy allows us to drop the tribal masks of our division.
Join us during the month of February as we explore mercy in our lives.
Exploring Mercy
Touchstones Journal
Make sure to subscribe to This Week at AUUF to receive this month’s issue of the Touchstones Journal and other resources about this month’s theme!
Ways to Engage Mercy This Month
- Theme Services:
- February 28, 10:00 am, “To Feel Another’s Woe: Compassion as the Beginning of Mercy, Rev. Chris Rothbauer
- Second Hours will focus on Mercy throughout the month.
- Covenant Groups will be discussing the theme at our meetings this month.
- Facebook and Instagram Posts: Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily quotes on our February theme!