Mercy Matters: Opening Yourself to the Life-Changing Gift

by Mathew N. Schmalz

Wherever there are Christians, everyone should find an oasis of mercy. Pope Francis

Whether dealing with adoption, sobriety, bullying, the Boston Marathon bombing, or friendship with a Jehovah's Witness, Mathew Schmalz's own life serves as the backdrop for his reflections on the complex nature of mercy how we give it, and how we receive it. From a home for lepers in India to a halfway house in the Bronx, the author probes his experiences to reveal mercy as a virtue that doesn't necessarily come easily, but is infinitely rewarding.

Discussion and reflection questions at the end of each chapter allow you to dig deeper into your own ideas about mercy, what it looks like in your life, and how to move toward a more merciful existence. Perfect for individual or group study.

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2015

About the author

I have written a book for the Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy, entitled Mercy Matters: Opening Yourself to the Life Changing Gift. The book discusses the complex dynamics of mercy surrounding issues such as addiction, adoption, bullying, death and dying, marriage, reconciliation, and suffering. Discussion questions accompany each chapter: The book is written for both individual and group study and is meant to be shared.

I teach Comparative Religions in the Department of Religious Studies, at the College of the Holy Cross, a Jesuit liberal arts institution in Worcester, Massachusetts. I also blog regularly for the Boston Globe website, Crux.

I'm married and have two daughters, a large standard poodle named Harold, and a gecko named Mr. Wiggles.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a GR Giveaway. Thank you to Matthew Schmaltz and to Goodreads for the opportunity to read and review this book.

WOW! I really enjoyed this book. Not only is it non-fiction but it also falls under the category of spiritual and or spiritual/academic reading. Often this type of literature can bog the reader down in footnotes and quotes and dare I say pretentiousness? Forget all of the bible study books and group study books that have come before Mercy Matters: Opening Yourself to the Life-Changing Gift. This is not only a book for home study but one that would suit well with a weekly group. The writing is fluid and engaging. Schmalz paints picture after picture of relatable and interesting scenes that draw the reader into the narrative. At the end of each chapter he encourages you to delve deeper into questions of mercy, faith and your own interactions with the world around you. Due to the excellent presentation of this book you are interested as a reader and therefore remain engaged with the questions posed. It is a book that I believe adults at any stage will see themselves in. Schmalz has the ability to write in a way that captures the interest of the reader and therefore leads them into a self discovery of their own views and beliefs. An excellent addition to ANY church library shelf.

[Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots to think about here! From the title and cover, it might seem like the book would be more intensely religious than it actually is. The author, who happens to have been a former student of mine in his high school days, succeeds in making the concept of mercy a very real, everyday one. Through his autobiographical presentation I was able to get a good feel for the role that mercy had played in Mat Schmalz's life. The conversational style and the questions for discussion and contemplation at the end of the chapters gave me the chance to consider the same in my own life. Lord, be merciful, yes, but in showing mercy here and now, we open ourselves up to the possibility of receiving these blessings in our own lives.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a thought provoking book. You will be moved by how the author has given us insights into certain events, happening of his life.