What the Pope Said: A Chapter by Chapter Single-Sentence Synopsis of The Name of God Is Mercy by Pope Francis

Chapter I: A Time For Mercy

When we stand in the light of God’s forgiveness and mercy, our shame becomes a “grace.”

Chapter II: The Gift of Confession

Confession provides us with an encounter with mercy in which we place our lives in the hands of a priest who uses our confessed sins to make us feel humble and shameful and, thus, leads us to God’s grace.

Chapter III: Looking For the Smallest Opening

God, Who knows our need for Divine Mercy, waits for even the smallest indication that we have reached the point where we know we need understanding and forgiveness.

Chapter IV: A Sinner Like Simon Peter

Although we know from experience that we are sinners, we need to reflect on our sin—our “emptiness”—and remember that God wants to forgive due to His overabundance of mercy.

Chapter V: Too Much Mercy?

Our sin is like “a jewel that we present to God” to obtain consolation and mercy; it is NOT a defeat but a victory, when we let God win.

Chapter VI: Shepherd Not Scholars of the Law

To receive God’s love and mercy to the fullest we must be aware of our sin and retain the “awe” of out salvation.

Chapter VII: Sinners Yes, Corrupt No

Corruption is sin as a way of life, but sinners who recognize themselves as sinners are not corrupt and will always be forgiven because God’s mercy is greater than any sin.

Chapter VIII: Mercy and Compassion

To become holy we must embrace mercy and compassion as Jesus did; we must conquer “indifference” and remember we are sinners.

Chapter IX: Living the Holy Year of Mercy

In this year of mercy, we must make ourselves available to Jesus through confession and become merciful to others to the point of putting our “credibility as Christians” on the line through love.