Virtue of the Week – Mercy
Virtue of the Week focuses on building peaceful and caring communities through understanding and fostering the practice of virtues. The Source supports the Virtues Project and will publish one virtue developed by the project each week.
Mercy
Mercy is giving others compassion and forgiveness. We are touched by their suffering and want to help. We are merciful when we give ourselves and others a fresh chance after an offense or mistake. Nothing inspires hope so much as a clean slate. When we have the humility to remember the countless mercies we receive throughout life, we find it in our hearts to show mercy to others. We offer the gift of our tenderness.
Quote: “You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.” —Nelson Mandela
The Practice of Mercy
I am compassionate and forgiving.
I temper righteousness with forgiveness.
I am moved by the suffering of others.
I overlook mistakes.
I give others and myself the change to start over.
I treat others tenderly.
Questions for Discussion
- How do we treat suffering in our community?
- What does compassion look like in our community? How can it strengthen our social justice work?
- What does giving people more than they deserve look like in our social justice work?
- Who is in current need of some tenderness in our community?
Sign up to receive the Virtue of the Week by email!
Visit https://cfvi.net/Virtues-Project, and scroll to the end of the page to fill out the form.
Virtue of the Week is provided by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) in partnership with the VI Source and Virtues Matter.
About the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
Since 1990, CFVI has been a catalyst for positive change in the territory through initiatives committed to youth, learning, family support and the environment. With a professional staff and a volunteer Board of Directors composed of community leaders, CFVI is a trusted advocate and supporter of programs that ensure opportunity and sustainability for current and future generations. CFVI is a registered non-profit organization entirely supported by individual donors, grants, trusts, corporate donations and estate planning. For more information, visit cfvi.net.
About Virtues Matter
Virtues Matter was started by a passionate wife-husband team of social entrepreneurs seeking to positively uplift as many lives as possible. We aim to inspire and empower, to build capacity, strengthen relationships, and help everyone lead lives of passion and purpose.
Virtues Matter believes in a world where people are committed to kindness and respect, strive to be their best, and live with hope, courage, and in unity. We built the Virtues Cards mobile app, an interactive personal and team development tool, to help people identify and develop key virtues skills. We also offer dynamic workshops, online training, and customized programs to help people cultivate these positive qualities of character. To learn more, visit virtuesmatter.com.
To learn more about the Virtues Project, visit virtuesproject.com.
