Tag Archives: litany

This, the second petition of the litany, addresses God the Son; and as we make it, we echo the words of the many who petitioned Christ whilst he walked amongst us – such as the Cannanite woman who cried out “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David”, and the father of one demon-possessed who knelt to plead “Lord, have mercy on my son” (Matthew 9:27, 15:22, 17:15). Like them, we come to God the Son in faith and plead for his mercy: yet to us also belongs that blessed confidence of knowing that He has already redeemed us to belong to him (Galatians 3:12; Isaiah 62:12). Indeed when we call upon God the Son for mercy, we are calling on one who in unfathomable mercy gave his life for us (John 3:16), miserable sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

Biblically, the mercy of the Son is bound up with that of the Father; the Apostle Paul joins them both in his epistles, writing in one place “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (II Timothy 1:2), and in another praying for Onesiphorus saying “may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day” (II Timothy 1:18).

The litany starts with this clear request which neatly summarises all that is to follow. God is addressed here as the Father, which properly reminds us that the Father is merciful just as the Son is merciful. Jesus teaches us this form of petition in Matthew 7:11, saying “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Likewise, when Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer, he starts it with “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9).

Why do we ask God for mercy? Chiefly, it is because of what is also added in this petition: that we are miserable sinners. Our need for mercy is rooted in our guilt before God and so we echo the words of King David, who having fallen into the most shameful and grievous sin, called upon God saying “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1).