In October 2025, Vilnius hosted the international scientific conference “Bridges Between Hearts: The Theology of Mercy Today,” organized by Vilnius St. Joseph’s Seminary of Priests and Vilnius St. Joseph’s Institute of Theology. The event brought together theologians, scholars, and public intellectuals to explore the meaning of mercy in contemporary thought and society.

The presentation “Between Earth and Heaven: The Dialogue of Lack and Mercy” examined the relationship between human limitation and the concept of mercy, bridging insights from theology, philosophy, and social thought.

At its core, the talk proposed that lack is not merely a deficit, but a fundamental condition that opens space for moral response, solidarity, and compassion.

Key ideas included:

• human incompleteness as a starting point for ethical and spiritual reflection
• mercy as a response to the reality of limitation and vulnerability
• the connection between scarcity, responsibility, and interpersonal relationships

Extending beyond economic perspectives, the presentation explored lack in existential, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. It suggested that attempts to eliminate all forms of lack – whether through policy or ideology – risk overlooking its role in shaping meaning, connection, and human dignity.

In a time when social and political debates often focus on eliminating limitations, this perspective offers a deeper insight: it is precisely through acknowledging lack that space for mercy, responsibility, and human connection emerges.

For broader policy discussions, including those around social welfare and redistribution, this reflection invites a more nuanced understanding of human needs – one that goes beyond material provision to consider the moral and relational dimensions of life.