Reconciliation as a fruit of mercy

Abstract

Every man - except for Mary - is sinful and that is why we all need reconciliation with God, ourselves and other people. Reconciliation is the fruit of the merciful love of God, who forgives even the most sinful past to those who repent. This paper describes the essence of reconciliation, as well as necessary conditions for real reconciliation with God, ourselves and other people. In each case, reconciliation requires repentance, recognition of our own guilt and making amends to the ones we have hurt. Reconciliation is, in fact, not the result of lofty pity or naive indulgence of evil, but the fruit of mercy. An illustration of this principle is the story of the prodigal son whom his merciful father shows forgiveness and arranges a feast when the son repents. Mercy is a cure for a bad past. A cure for sinful present is not mercy, but immediate repentance. Somebody who does not repent remains merciless to themselves and takes away their chance for  reconciliation.