Mercy has three forms: from God to us, from other people to us and from us to other people. Recall the times when mercy was given or received in your own life. How did it make you feel? The Lord asks us not to judge or condemn others but to forgive. This serves as the basis on which we will be judged. Mercy is the bridge that connects God and the human family, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever in spite of our sinfulness. No one can place limits on the love God has for us. There are many stories in the New Testament where we see God full of joy, especially when people are pardoned. Mercy is a great force that overcomes everything. During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we must all allow our hearts to be touched! We should use this special year to live, in our daily lives, the mercy which the Father extends to all of us. Listen to the words of Jesus: "Be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate," and "Blessed are those who show mercy for mercy will be shown to them." To encounter Christ is to encounter the mercy of God.