Fr Jude Mukoro, MBACP, FHEA

The Greek word eleison carries a richness we often miss. It means show compassion, help in weakness, heal what is broken, rescue from danger, sustain and strengthen. It is closer to saying, “Lord, take care of us because we cannot live without You.”

St. Mary of Egypt’s life reveals the transformative power of divine mercy. Mercy did not erase her past, nor did it spare her from struggle; instead, it met her in truth and patiently reshaped her heart. What was once ruled by disordered desire became, through grace, a life ordered toward God. Her witness assures us that repentance is never met with rejection, and that divine mercy is not merely forgiving, but creative — able to remake even the most broken life into a dwelling place of holiness.

his enduring joy explains why saints and martyrs remained peaceful and compassionate even in times of great suffering. Their joy was not shallow or forced; it flowed from the certainty of God’s presence.