I. Statement of Relevance

This exhibit is submitted to demonstrate that mercy is not an ad hoc exception to justice, but a coherent, traceable principle embedded within salvation history. The record will show that mercy appears first as preparation, then as tolerated precedent, and finally as embodied resolution.

II. Factual Background

Marymas (September 8)

Marymas commemorates the birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The feast is ancient, originating in Eastern Christianity by the 6th century and adopted in the Western Church by the late 7th century. The date is fixed, symbolic, and precedes all public acts associated with Jesus of Nazareth.

King David (Statue unveiled September 8)

David, second king of Israel, is the foundational figure of the Davidic covenant. The historical and scriptural record documents both his anointing and his grave moral failures, including acts that would ordinarily disqualify him under Mosaic law.

Jesus (Ann Catherine Emmerich - vision of the passion - born September 8)

Jesus of Nazareth is identified within Christian theology as the Messiah and is repeatedly designated “Son of David,” explicitly tying his mission to the Davidic line and covenant.

III. Findings of Record

A. Marymas — Mercy as Preparation

Mary’s birth involves no violation of law, no suspension of justice, and no supernatural intervention at the moment itself. Its relevance lies in capacity rather than action. The record establishes that redemption begins not with force or judgment, but with the quiet preparation of consent.

B. King David — Mercy Within the Law

David commits acts that, under the law, warrant severe penalty. Nevertheless:

• He is confronted, not erased.
• Consequences are imposed, but covenantal promises remain intact.
• His lineage is not revoked.

This establishes precedent: justice may discipline without terminating redemptive purpose.

C. Jesus — Mercy Embodied and Fulfilled

What is prepared in Mary and preserved through David is ultimately embodied in Jesus. In this instance, mercy does not bypass justice; it absorbs its cost. Law and grace are no longer in tension but are reconciled through self-giving.

IV. Legal and Theological Implications

• Mercy is not arbitrary.
• Mercy does not deny guilt or consequence.
• Mercy demonstrates continuity across time, lineage, and covenant.

The progression is internally consistent:

• Marymas establishes intent.
• David establishes precedent.
• Jesus establishes fulfillment.

V. Conclusion

The exhibit demonstrates that mercy is not a contradiction of justice but its deeper completion. The record supports a coherent throughline in which love refuses to allow failure to terminate history.

Submitted for the record as evidence that redemption operates by invitation, not coercion.