Have Mercy on Them
This poem emphasizes that those ordained as ambassadors of Christ are called to be the true bearers of His message. It reminds priests and spiritual leaders that their role is not to curse or bind others in fear but to embody the love, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. The power given to them through "Kohanooso" is a sacred trust, meant to unlock grace, bless, and restore rather than condemn. The poem is a prayer for these truth-bearers to live up to their calling, reflecting Christ’s compassion and being vessels of divine mercy to the world.
POEM
Cherian Jacob
10/23/20241 min read
Lord, Have Mercy on Them
O Lord, who sees each heart in its truest form,
Abel, first martyr, raised his prayer so warm:
“Do not punish my brother for his great sin,
He knew not, O Father, what dwelt deep within.”
You, God of mercy, heard Abel’s cry of love,
And protected Cain by grace from above.
This prayer, first spoken on the earth below,
Echoed on the cross where your love would show.
The priest who holds the gift of Kohanooso,
With power to forgive, to bless and make whole,
Must use it not to bind in fear or curse,
But unlock mercy, as Christ's love rehearsed.
The power to unlock is a gift from you,
Not to bind in fear, but to make hearts new.
Help them use this grace to heal and restore,
To bless, forgive, and to close wounds no more.
Abel’s prayer of mercy must live in their heart,
As Jesus spoke on the cross, where grace did start.
May priests be like Christ, in word and in deed,
Unlocking sins, planting mercy’s true seed.
O Lord, do not count their curses so severe,
Guide them back to love, and erase all fear.
Let their tongues be used for blessing and peace,
And may their hearts from judgment’s grip release.
Amen.