THE LOGIC OF PASTORAL MERCY

At times we find
it hard to make room for God’s unconditional
love in our pastoral activity.364 We put so many
conditions on mercy that we empty it of its con￾crete meaning and real significance. That is the
worst way of watering down the Gospel. It is
true, for example, that mercy does not exclude
justice and truth, but first and foremost we have
to say that mercy is the fullness of justice and
the most radiant manifestation of God’s truth.
For this reason, we should always consider “inad￾equate any theological conception which in the
end puts in doubt the omnipotence of God and,
especially, his mercy�.