Blessed are the Merciful

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, 

for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for
    righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.   ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Setting the Scene:  Points to remember … 

• Beatitudes => Blessing 
• Blessings => “a deep joy in God’s presence”  
• Sermon on the Mount => Jesus sets context for ministry and talks about the kingdom of heaven => or reign of God
• Kingdom of heaven/reign of God => knowing God as sovereign ruler, living in the will of God, kingdom as already here but not yet fully realized …   

The Foundation of the blessings are found in the 3rd verse, knowing who we are in relation to God … living in total dependence upon God

Today we begin the second half of the blessings.  We have been talking about the “vertical” relationship between God and human beings for four weeks but this week we turn to the “horizontal” relationship, human being to human being.  This blessing is about both sides of mercy, giving and receiving.  It reminds me about the line in the Lord’s Prayer: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and I hear echoes of the golden rule found in Luke 6:31:  Treat others just as you want to be treated. (CEV)

As the word mercy is the English root word in this blessing, the word eleemon {el-eh-ay'-mone} is the root word/concept in Greek.  It means much the same thing as “mercy” in English:  to have pity on, to help one who is afflicted and/or seeking aid, to bring help to the wretched.  And yet, once again we find a word that means so much more when you examine it in the original writing and culture.   The Hebrew concept that lays the foundation for mercy as Jesus defines mercy, comes from the word hesed, which means loving-kindness, love, loyalty, and faithfulness.  Hesed is used to refer to both God and certain human beings as well.  The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary illuminates the word further as it refers to the “emotion aroused by contact with undeserved suffering, compassion, and a deeply felt love for a fellow human being …

In the OT, mercy is associated with the covenant obligation between God and humans.” (674)  Remember the Ark of the Covenant which was a manifestation of God’s Presence?   The Ark was originally housed in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle and subsequently placed in the Temple until it “disappeared” during the destruction of Jerusalem by the invading Babylonians in 586 BCE.    The “mercy-seat” was seen as the throne of God from which the will of God was discerned through the “cloud” of God’s Presence.  The mercy seat was also the place where forgiveness was granted and atonement was made for the sins of Israel on the Day of Atonement by the sprinkling of sacrificial blood upon it.  Remembering that the Sermon on the Mount is all about living in the kingdom of God … is it any wonder that “divine and human mercy are closely associated with justice and righteousness because all refer to behavior appropriate to a relationship.”
(HC, 674)

Making Connections:  Have you ever been deserving of condemnation and yet were the recipient of merciful behavior from another person?   How did that change you and affect your behavior toward others? 

Going Deeper:  Read John 7:53-8:11 and consider a woman, dragged into the public arena to be accused of the crime of adultery.  Keeping the historical context (she is living in a patriarchal society which viewed women as the property of men) and the “law” (after a trial, mandatory stoning for a person caught in the act of adultery) in mind:  Does the woman deserve to be condemned to death by stoning by the men who caught her?  Why or why not?    Does she deserve to stand alone to face her punishment?    What is Jesus reaction to the woman?   Why does Jesus pause?    What does he do?  How does Jesus feel about this situation?  Suddenly Jesus is alone with the woman.  What does he do?  Do you agree or disagree with the way Jesus offers mercy to her in her situation?  Now that Jesus has offered the woman mercy, what does he expect of her in return?   What does this teach you about giving mercy?  About receiving mercy?

Read Luke 23:32-38.  Consider the suffering of Jesus.  In the midst of his own suffering what does he do in regards to those who are tormenting him?   What do you believe that Jesus draws upon in order to ask God for forgiveness for those who are set to crucify him?   What is their response?   Now continue with Luke 23:39-43 and consider the thieves hanging on the crosses next to Jesus.  Jesus is suffering terribly and yet he takes the time to offer assurance of salvation to a thief who recognizes him and offers kind words to him.  What does this teach you about giving mercy?  About receiving mercy?

Pondering:  In one of the most poignant human stories about forgiveness and mercy I’ve ever read, Archbishop Desmond Tutu tells the story about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission during which the only payment rendered for complete exoneration of terrible crimes against humanity was the truth.  How was this possible?  Tutu credits the African concept of ubuntu.  Ubuntu is an African concept which I understand to mean, “I am what I am because of what we all are together …” and if there is even one person on the earth suffering, I am suffering even if I don’t know it.  This is his way of saying that humanity is so intertwined and interconnected that mercy shown to others is truly mercy shown to our own self.  Our ability to offer mercy even in the darkest situation brings deep healing to us.  When we are able to offer mercy we are a fully engaged human being and can accept mercy from God with a deeper sense of wholeness. 

Praying:  A Prayer to be Merciful …
Written by St. Maria Faustina
"O Lord. I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection. 
May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy,
pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful,
so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, O Lord, that my ears may be merciful,
so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, O Lord, that my feet may be merciful,
so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness.     
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful
so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor.
O Lord, May Your mercy rest upon me"  Amen.
 
If music is a pathway to God for you, take a moment to listen to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXP3oUatFt0