The Attributes of God – The Compassionate and Merciful
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III reflects on God’s kindness and compassion toward His creation, and how this kindness invites humans to reassurance and hope and urges us to love God and imitate His attributes in our mercy toward others and all creatures.
Summary sections:
1. God’s mercy and tenderness toward humans:
His Holiness explains that God is more merciful and gentler than humans, and that falling “into God’s hand” is better than falling into a human’s hand because God sometimes punishes to call to repentance but is generally characterized by gentleness and compassion. God’s beautiful attributes should lead us to love and obedience, not to carelessness.
2. God’s gradual giving of commandments according to human capacity:
God does not ask people beyond their strength; He teaches gradually (from the Old Covenant to the New) and gives commandments within people’s ability, granting them the grace to carry them and not burdening new believers.
3. God’s tenderness toward creatures and animals:
God not only shows mercy to humans but is compassionate to animals and nature — the Sabbath and the seventh-year rest for the land, instructions not to burden ox and donkey, and examples of God’s care for birds and beasts and His provision of their sustaining traits.
4. God’s gifts in creation and care for what seems small:
Pope Shenouda mentions the gifts in the beetle, the bee, the ant, the butterfly, the camel, the palm tree, etc., and urges reflection on how God gave them features that preserve them, increasing hope in God’s care for humanity.
5. God’s gifts and graces to humans:
God gave humans mind, talents, and freedom of will, and granted them mysteries, blessings, liturgies, forgiveness, commandments, and the Holy Spirit as Comforter — all signs of God’s love and salvific providence.
6. Angels and divine providence:
God sends angels for guardianship and service, as shown in biblical and saints’ stories; angels are part of God’s ongoing care for humans in life and death.
Practical (educational and spiritual) conclusion:
God’s love and compassion do not tempt us to carelessness, but to meet His love with our love, and to learn gentleness and kindness so our conduct becomes in the image and likeness of God; we live by faith, receive grace, and act mercifully toward creation.
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