Paul is clear for the reason he engages in ministry: “I am grateful to Him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord” (1 Tim. 1:12). In particular, Paul is grateful for the mercy Jesus has shown him. Paul was guilty of murder, of persecuting Christians for their faith. His sins were not merely a crime of passion. He thought, he weighed his options, he persecuted. Yet in spite of all this, Jesus has mercy on him, and Paul will not stop until all people know Christ’s mercy.
Paul is not the only exemplar of mercy we see today. The gospel shows us the parable of the Prodigal Son, among the most famous (fictional) stories of mercy in Christianity. The story of Paul should make us wonder: what was the morning after that great feast like? How did the Prodigal Son live his life differently, knowing how much he owed to his father? Hopefully, he became like Paul, a tireless advocate for his father, and an even more devoted son.
We have also received God’s mercy. We have been baptized and set free from Original Sin. We have been given the chance of Confession whenever we need it. Our sins could even be worse than Paul’s, and still we would receive God’s mercy. So we should likewise be tireless preacher’s of God’s mercy. The whole world should know by our witness that God is merciful, and wishes to include them in His mercy. Paul certainly did so, the Prodigal Son surely did so, and now we must do so.