Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (From Matthew 5:1-12)

Today’s Gospel shows Jesus presenting the Beatitudes to us and, while they are all necessary lessons from Heaven, it seems like mercy is a great thing to focus on today.  We all seem to be critical and quick to judge others for their choices, their mistakes, their moments of impatience, when they screw up, when the teacher or coach is hard on our kids, when our Pastor says/does something we don’t like, when the politician proposes something you disagree with, when the boss has to deliver tough mews, when your spouse forgets to do something, or when our kids screw up, but Jesus tells us that we will blessed/happy when we show mercy to others and ourselves!  Not only will we be spreading love and creating peace with our mercy, but we will also be recipients of God’s mercy when we are merciful ourselves!  So, my sisters and brothers in Christ, let us be blessed and happy today by letting things go a bit and being kind, compassionate, patient, loving, and merciful to ALL we meet!  Amen!