Mercy

Colors of autumn reflected in the Lake as I took my morning walk.
In the story of the ten lepers that appears only in Luke's Gospel (17:11-19), they approached Jesus.  "Keeping their distance they called out, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.'"  Since some translations use "pity," it set me off researching.  The Greek verb is the same one used in our liturgical expression, "Kyrie, eleison; Lord, have mercy."
The Hebrew word that we translate "mercy" is one of the most distinguishing qualities of God in the Old Testament.  That one English word doesn't capture all that the Hebrew word means.  It means that God is dependable and worthy of faith. It implies that God's saving work cannot be earned but is granted out of God's inexhaustible generosity.
In the New Testament Jesus' own attitude towards sinners reflects the "mercy" of God in the Old Testament.  Jesus is ready to forgive, to help those in need, and to heal.  His saving will precedes any act of a human being.  In the story of the ten lepers, even though he tells them to go show themselves to the priests, they are healed before they complete their action.  Only the Samaritan understands how unearned his healing is.  He is deeply touched by the mercy of Jesus and returns to give thanks.
No matter how good or bad we are, no matter how sick or healthy, we can make our own the lepers' prayer, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."