"I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice” (1). This quote that Abraham Lincoln once proclaimed describes what the Forged Coupon teaches us. The Forged Coupon shows us that natural level justice leads the world to disaster, but mercy makes the world a livable place.
Justice is the fair treatment one deserves that eventually leads to disasters. In the Forged Coupon, justice makes matters worse in every occasion. For instance, Ivan Mironov was wrongfully accused of forging a coupon, and justice took its toll on him. He never had to serve time in prison, but eventually natural level justice formed Mironov into a professional horse-thief that eventually got him brutally killed from being found out. Justice has the power to form holy beings into evil beings. Therefore, something greater than justice can only overcome evil which is God’s mercy. …show more content…
Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica declares, "mercy is heartfelt sympathy for another's distress” (Aquinas, Sum II-II, Q. 30, Art. 1) (2). In other words, mercy is pity for another’s sorrows. In the second part of the Forged Coupon it reminds us of the teachings of Jesus. For instance, Mitia Mihailovich and his stubborn father eventually reconcile their relationship towards the end of the short story, therefore Mitia showed mercy towards his father. The reconciliation between Mitia and his father reminds us that we are bound to sin; we are so unworthy, yet God continues to show us mercy and compassion. Mitia chose to show his father mercy despite his father failing him; Christ chooses to show us mercy despite how much we fail Him. God’s love is unending, and this unending love is proven through the mercy He chooses to show to us. God’s mercy has the power to overcome evil, and if we show mercy to one another we can overcome
Justice is the fair treatment one deserves that eventually leads to disasters. In the Forged Coupon, justice makes matters worse in every occasion. For instance, Ivan Mironov was wrongfully accused of forging a coupon, and justice took its toll on him. He never had to serve time in prison, but eventually natural level justice formed Mironov into a professional horse-thief that eventually got him brutally killed from being found out. Justice has the power to form holy beings into evil beings. Therefore, something greater than justice can only overcome evil which is God’s mercy. …show more content…
Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica declares, "mercy is heartfelt sympathy for another's distress” (Aquinas, Sum II-II, Q. 30, Art. 1) (2). In other words, mercy is pity for another’s sorrows. In the second part of the Forged Coupon it reminds us of the teachings of Jesus. For instance, Mitia Mihailovich and his stubborn father eventually reconcile their relationship towards the end of the short story, therefore Mitia showed mercy towards his father. The reconciliation between Mitia and his father reminds us that we are bound to sin; we are so unworthy, yet God continues to show us mercy and compassion. Mitia chose to show his father mercy despite his father failing him; Christ chooses to show us mercy despite how much we fail Him. God’s love is unending, and this unending love is proven through the mercy He chooses to show to us. God’s mercy has the power to overcome evil, and if we show mercy to one another we can overcome