MANILA, Philippines – Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle stressed the value of God’s mercy, instead of outright punishment, in a recent conference meant to rekindle the Catholic faith. 

“Ang hangad ng Diyos ay hindi parusa, kundi kaligtasan (What God wants is not punishment but salvation),” Tagle said in his homily on July 15 at the 3rd Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE).

Tagle described this as the unfathomable mercy of God.

The cardinal added, “Kung tayong mga tao, parang gigil na gigil nang magparusa, ang Diyos, gigil na gigil magligtas (If we human beings desperately want to impose punishment, God desperately wants to save).”

Tagle said: “Ganoon na lamang kamahal ng Diyos ang mundo. Ang mundo na nagrerebelde sa kanya, ang mundong kumakalimot sa kanya, ang mundo na pinagpapalit siya – mahal pa rin niya. At ganoon na lang ang pagmamahal niya sa mundong ito, isinugo pa ang kanyang Anak.” 

(That is how much God loves the world. The world that rebelled against him, the world that forgot him, the world that betrayed him – he still loves it. And such was his love for this world that he sent his Son.)

Tagle delivered this message in the context of the sacrifice of Jesus.

The cardinal said that this is especially seen in the Black Nazarene, a 16th-century mulatto image of the suffering Christ. Tagle said the Black Nazarene shows a God who endured suffering to save even those who break his commands. 

He then challenged Catholics: Be “missionaries of mercy.” 

While Tagle was not directly referring to any socio-political issue, his message comes at a time of unabated killings to punish criminals in the Philippines. – Rappler.com