Shakespeare on "The Quality of Mercy"

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, it seems to me, that it is good to think about “mercy” wherever we encounter it—even in literature, where it often appears as a theme.

Putting aside all controversy about how the themes of prejudice, justice, mercy, law, and revenge play out—perhaps hypocritically-- in Shakespeare’s play the “Merchant of Venice”…

Putting aside, too, the debate over whether Shakespeare was secretly Catholic or solely openly Protestant…

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, let us just appreciate, at face value, with eyes of Faith, the words that Shakespeare gave Portia to speak…words about the quality of mercy:

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God’s
When mercy seasons justice.

There are many words within those just quoted of Shakespeare’s that speak to me of what I know about “the quality of mercy” from my Catholic Faith; here, starting with the first line, are four sets of them, accompanied by mini-reflections.

“The quality of mercy is not strained.”

This line reminds me that because “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), we shouldn’t give mercy begrudgingly. Jesus tells us that being merciful will make us happy (blessed): “Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) Moreover, since God gifts us with mercy, Jesus tells us that we, in turn, must gift others with mercy: “Freely you have received, freely you give.” (Matthew 10:8)

In conjunction with praising the merciful, in no-nonsense terms, Jesus teaches us to realize that receiving mercy is connected with giving mercy. As we pray in the Our Father, we ask God to “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Luke 11:4)

“It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.”

Both parties (forgiving and forgiven) benefit from mercy. As previously noted, when we give mercy, Jesus calls us happy or blessed and we receive Our Father’s mercy. (Matthew 5:7; Luke 11:4)

When we receive mercy, we are blessed with forgiveness, healing, and peace, as Jesus demonstrated many times in His Merciful encounters with sinners-- for example, in His cure of the paralyzed man. (Mark 2:9) And since we all are sinners (1 John 1:10; Romans 3:23), we all can receive those mercy-blessings when we repent, seeking forgiveness from the Lord, and each other. (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; James 5:16)

“It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God’s
When mercy seasons justice.”

We know God is Merciful because Jesus commands us to “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) Just how potent God’s mercy-attribute is became clearer to me when I learned that the word St. Matthew uses (Matthew 5:48) in place of “mercy” is “perfect.” (Somehow, I prefer St. Luke’s wording, since it feels easier to be “merciful” than to be “perfect.” Maybe I’m just fooling myself…

To step outside Shakespeare’s words for a moment, these lines remind me of the thoughts of another writer—Alexander Pope, who wrote: “To err is human; to forgive, divine.”

“Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;”

Finally, collectively, these lines speak to me of Jesus. In comparison with the purely temporal kings, our crowned and crucified “King of Kings” (Revelation 17:14) reveals a Sacred Heart and Sacred Wounds to show forth His Mercy. And since He is the mightiest King over heaven and earth, to follow Shakespeare’s logic, His mercy is the mightiest, which we know is true since He is Infinitely Merciful.

…It’s your turn… Please share your thoughts, if you would, in the “Comments” section. How do Shakespeare’s words speak to you of God’s mercy, and our giving and receiving it?

Here’s one last thought from me…To end by going back to the first line: “The quality of mercy is not strained.” Without receiving and offering mercy, it occurs to me, the quality of our relationships (with God, each other, and ourselves) definitely is strained! Without mercy, I venture to say, it is impossible to be at peace.

In every possible way, then, may this Jubilee Year of Mercy be a holy, happy, healthy experience for us in all our relationships, thanks to our Infinitely Merciful God.