ZA MAGAZINE // seek truth.

Last week I wrote about the righteous and how they are blessed with being satisfied. This week, the fifth Beatitude speaks of the merciful, and their just reward for acting in such a way in their lives.

Matthew 5:7
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Here we see how those that have shown mercy have it shown back to them. It is a practical execution of the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” We want to show mercy, because we want mercy to be shown to us. But what does mercy entail? What kind of mercy do we show? And what kind of mercy is shown back to us?

Mercy, eleeo in the Greek, means to be compassionate by word or deed, to show pity on someone, and to show forbearance toward someone who has wronged us. When we have a chance to do a kindness to someone by forgiving them of hurting you physically or emotionally, you show mercy. In any time you pass judgment, you can choose to be merciful, or be punishing.

When you are compassionate to someone for a wrong or because they are in need, you are showing mercy. And this mercy cannot be confined to action. Mercy must be felt in the heart, mind, and spirit, not just in outward action. Mercy is an emotion within us, telling us that someone is afflicted in some way (hunger, guilt, depression), our emotional reaction to that state, and our action to help remedy the affliction. That is how we must be merciful.

In the Roman Catholic faith, there is a term that describes ways to be merciful. They are called works of mercy, both corporal (physical) and spiritual.

Corporal Works of Mercy:
To feed the hungry;
To give drink to the thirsty;
To clothe the naked;
To harbour the harbourless;
To visit the sick;
To ransom the captive;
To bury the dead.

Spiritual Works of Mercy:
To instruct the ignorant;
To counsel the doubtful;
To admonish sinners;
To bear wrongs patiently;
To forgive offenses willingly;
To comfort the afflicted;
To pray for all souls.

These are a good starting point for anyone wishing to show mercy as Christ does. Remember the story of Jesus feeding the crowds? What about when He visited the sick, dying, or dead and was able to heal them by their faith? How many times did Jesus counsel sinners? How many times does Jesus FORGIVE?

The fact that Jesus promises that mercy is shown back to us if we show mercy does not guarantee we get mercy in the same way we show it. It does not guarantee that if we feed those that are hungry, or forgive willingly that we will receive the same back to us. This mercy is divine mercy. This is mercy coming from God!

If you are showing mercy to others, but no mercy is shown to you on Earth, it is not disproving this Beatitude. I assure you, if you show mercy to others, God will show mercy to you in His judgment of your life, your actions, and your faith. Divine Mercy is only shown to those who show mercy on the earth. And Jesus tells us of the consequences of following this Beatitude:

Matthew 25:31-46
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’
45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Eternal life is at stake if you do not follow Jesus’ teachings. Be merciful, and God will show you mercy.

Buzz