Psalm 103 was written by the great Jewish King David: "Bless the Lord, my soul; do not forget all the gifts of God, who pardons all your sins, heals all your ills, delivers your life from the pit, surrounds you with love and compassion."
King David was his generation's Bill Clinton, a charming, gifted leader, a man capable of great good and great evil. He was a great poet who wrote the Psalms and also a great warrior who reunited the Jewish tribes into one nation, with Jerusalem as its capitol city. He also lusted after and then slept with one of his best friend's wives, and then deliberately set his friend up to die by having him placed on the front line of battle. David knew all about God's loving compassion. Once he repented, he cried "God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart." (Psalm 51)
Jesus was a "Heart" person, who understood that both goodness and evil begin in our hearts: "From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice..." If our hearts are clean, we understand these words of His: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself."
Jesus said unequivocally that when we see him, hear him, we see and hear his Father - and He reveals his Father to be, above all else, Mercy. On the cross, he cries out to His Father, begging forgiveness for those who have wounded Jesus, murdered him, sinned against him throughout all time: "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they're doing."
One beautiful prayer to Mary begins "Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy..." Jesus, Son of God, Son of Man, IS MERCY!" This is the clearest most beautiful line of continuity between the Jewish and Christian Scriptures - GOD IS MERCIFUL LOVE. On the second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate God's Heart of Love, God Who is Divine Mercy. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.