Each day, Jan and I take communion. We raise the cup of wine and receive fresh new mercies available through the Blood of Jesus. We confess our sins and receive His forgiveness. We forgive each other and anyone else who has offended us. His Blood is sprinkled on our conscience, cleansing us, purifying us.

In fact, I need continual reminders to receive and extend God’s mercy. I can have an intellectual belief in His mercy, but not experience it. My warning light comes on when I’m “low” on mercy. I’m not receiving His mercy when I live in regret and condemnation. When I judge someone’s action without mercy.

If we don’t understand what the sacrifice of Jesus means, we will live under the burden of our sin, thinking it still has power over us. The same holds true for those who have sinned against us. We will live under the power of their offense—caught in a life-long trap.

“For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood” (Romans 3:25).

Paul used a Greek word in that verse to define the Mercy Seat as Jesus Himself. Historically, Paul understood that Jesus’ blood on the Mercy Seat was a sacrifice to cover our sin for all time.

When the Holy Father looks at us, He sees us purified through the merciful blood of Jesus. And the pure in heart will see Him. How He sees us and how we see Him will change us.

It will also change how we see each other. How we see broken prodigals on their way back to God. How we see those who have not yet been saved and delivered. To understand this kind of mercy will radically change everything.