Blessed Are the Merciful

Let's begin in the name of the Father in the Son in the Holy Spirit. Amen. Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. It was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell.

On the third day, he rose again. He ascended into heaven and he seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hollow would be your name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a stay, our dearly bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation. It deliver us from evil, amen.

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Our first mystery, a lot of the Beatitudes are sort of tricky and counterintuitive.

Why would someone be lucky to be poor? Why would someone be blessed if they're mourning? How could meek people be the ones to take over the earth? Fortunately, when we get to the fifth Beatitude, things get a little clearer. We hear Jesus say, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

And we think, well, that's pretty straightforward. It's only fair that you would get what you give. And that if you're merciful to others, well, then God will be merciful to you.

But now stop and think again, when was the last time you were actually merciful to someone?

And are you planning to be merciful to someone today? And concretely, how?

“You see, even if the Fifth Beatitude makes sense abstractly, it can be hard to see how you should put it into practice concretely.”

Unfortunately, the Church has given us a list called The Works of Mercy. So let's use that list right now and see whether we're being merciful and how to start being merciful today. Our Father who art in heaven, how it would be your name, that kingdom come by will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Your vests stay our daily bread and for your vests are trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil Amen.

Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

“Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.”

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. And the church gives us a list of the works of mercy. There are two parts, the corporal and the spiritual works of mercy. The corporal works of mercy mean those applied to the physical needs of people. The catechism lists both of these in paragraph 2447. Let's start with the corporal works of mercy, feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty, shelter in the homeless, clothing the naked. Parents and grandparents with little kids have an opportunity to be merciful in these ways every day, but then there's welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick and imprisoned, or we could say, caring for the elderly and visiting those shut in and lonely.

Parents bearing the dead, like going to the funeral mass or service and praying for the dead and supporting the family and their grief.

“And finally, giving financially to the poor and to efforts of evangelization. So have we given 10% as scripture asks us to do?”

These are the corporal works of mercy. Are you regularly doing these things? Remember the words of Jesus to the sheep in Matthew chapter 25. Those who practiced the corporal works of mercy, to them Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." But also recall what he said to the goats, who had not practiced these works of mercy. He said, "Depart for me, you cursed into the eternal fire." Our father who art in heaven, hell it would be your name. That kingdom come by will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

It's not in to temptation, but to live rest from evil amen. Heal Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus.

“Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen.”

The Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus.

Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen.

The Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou, among women blessed is a fruit of high womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen.

Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen.

“Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.”

As it was in the beginning, as now in the first shall be, world without end, amen. Oh, my Jesus. Forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to have an especially those most in need of thy mercy. Our third mystery.

And then we have the second list, the spiritual works of mercy.

Now of course, humans are a composite of body and soul, and the soul is the most important part,

which means that however critical the physical works of mercy are, spiritual works are even more important. Here they are, the seven spiritual works of mercy, instructing, counseling, admonishing, comforting, praying for the living in the dead, forgiving, willingly, and bearing wrongs patiently.

“Which of those spiritual works have you done lately?”

Which of you not done? Who in your life needs one of these soon or even today? Our Father who art in heaven, hollowed be your name, that kingdom come by will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Your vests stay our dearly bread and for your vests our trespasses.

As we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil amen.

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thou among women blessed, is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown of the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary, be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, as now and ever shall be, world without end, amen. Oh, my Jesus. Forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to have an especially those most in need of thy mercy.

Our fourth mystery, the spiritual works of mercy are the ways that we do everything we can to help our loved ones get to heaven. Now, unfortunately, most people assume that helping others get to heaven is the job of a priest, a program, or some professional. It's not. It's your job.

“If someone you love is drifting away from God, if a friend is on a trajectory toward hell, you must do something.”

Yes, faith is personal, but it's never meant to be private.

And Jesus gave us the model, the good Samaritan. Remember the story? The priest and the Levite, the professionals, they saw the wounded man and walked on by. The Samaritan took personal responsibility and got involved.

And God has placed specific people in your life, and you are supposed to be their good Samaritan.

“And we, the movement of the Holy Family, were forming a good Samaritan army.”

We're forming an army of apostles of friendship who take spiritual responsibility for their loved ones. And the most effective way to help someone come to God is person to person, friend to friend. So we've got to build a bridge of friendship and trust and walk with them and be patient and persistent, because conversion is slow. It's not a quick fix. And now this might surprise you, but this is not primarily about them.

It's about you. Alcoholics anonymous has a saying. Helping others is the foundation stone of your own recovery. We would say your growth in faith depends on you helping others to faith.

“I'm always reminded of this when I go to the Holy Land and when I go to the Sea of Galilee.”

It teams with life because water flows in and it flows out.

The Dead Sea is lifeless because it only receives and it never gives.

We've got tens of thousands of hundreds of thousands of people receiving in this daily rosary podcast. But if you never give, you will dry up spiritually. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallow would be your name. That kingdom come by will be done on earth as it is in heaven. If us stay our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation.

But deliver us from evil Amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

“Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen.”

The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen.

The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now in the hour of our death, amen. The Omery, be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the meeting as now in the Versia will be, world without end, amen.

Oh, my Jesus. Forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to have an especially those most in need of thy mercy. Our fifth mystery, maybe you're thinking, I have people in my life who fall away from the faith. I want to help them, but I don't really know how.

That's exactly why we've created the movement of the Holy family.

Because most people have never been taught how to practice spiritual friendship.

They love their family and friends, they want to help them come closer to Christ.

We want to change that.

“So I'm inviting you to become an active member of the movement of the Holy family,”

where you'll receive practical training in how to build bridges of friendship,

how to share your faith naturally, how to accompany others with patience, and help them grow closer to Jesus. Now, if you're already a member, I'm inviting you to take part in our training. You'll receive a simple playbook, practice real conversations, learn from experience mentors, and be supported by a small group of fellow disciples.

Most importantly, you'll grow in your faith. Become an active member of the movement of the Holy family, and join our training. It will start this August live and online. We just had a thousand people sign up as new members of the movement, and 900 of them said, "I want to do this training.

I don't know why all thousand didn't, but 900 did."

So let's build this worldwide movement of ordinary people who live,

“friendship with Jesus, and friendship with others.”

Just click below. Our father, who art in heaven, hollowed with be your name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses. As we free of those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation.

But to the rest from evil, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung.

Women bless it, our Thalmung, women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung. Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thalmung.

Women bless it is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, I'm in. Hail Mary, be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning as now in our shall be, we're old without end, I'm in. All my Jesus.

Forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to have an especially those most in need of thy mercy. St. Michael, the Archangel, Defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God review him, we humbly pray, and do thou old prince of the heavenly hosts by the power of God cast into hell, Satan in all the evil spirits who prowled throughout the world seeking the rune of souls.

In the name of the Father, in the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What struck you with this meditation, Teresa? What surprised you? Right off the bat, you really surprised me because I was absolutely in that headspace you were talking about where it's like, "Oh, no, well, it just makes sense to be merciful and to receive mercy."

“But especially with the real definition of mercy, meaning you have to give what someone hasn't earned.”

You have to give more than what they deserve. And I just immediately, I did a 180. I was like, "That's not how we live. That's not."

I've been kind to people that I thought were worthy of kindness."

“I think even these days it's like, we expect everyone if we're going to be charitable to earn our charity, including the homeless.”

Like giving me my standard, then I'll give them money, which is still asking them to earn something and it's not mercy.

You've touched on something very important.

I'm seeing this, I see this a lot, that in two places I see it.

“The poor need to earn my charity, which is totally ridiculous.”

It's not charity. Okay, that's on the corporate works of mercy. On the spiritual works of mercy for evangelization, people say the church and organizations who do evangelization, who do spiritual things, they ought to earn their own money. All supporting for a little while, but they need to eventually earn their own money. But wait a minute, the people that are being served aren't going to be able to pay for it, someone's going to have to support it.

And again, like you said, it's not just about the person receiving it, it's about what it does in you.

And it's not merciful, it's not charitable, it's not even a donation. If it's about, I think part of the problem is that I, it makes sense how our country is set up. It's very commercial. It's, it's goods and payment, but we think of every exchange because this is so ingrained in us, at least as Americans that everything is, what can I buy and I should get something that is of equal value to my money. And that's not the world that Christ is talking about. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So even just when I look at, am I, am I only kind of people I think are worthy of it that I, that I like, am I, am I actually charitable, am I actually merciful? Do I actually, I'm always holding on to a grudge if I think, well, but they really were that bad.

And it's like, God asks you quite literally just to be merciful to that person because they might not deserve it. But then I think how better the world would be and how much I need the world to be merciful because I'm, most of the time, I'm not good enough for that. I need people to, forgive me, I need people to be merciful to me because I'm not perfect. Yeah. We have a greater need to give than they have to receive. But I, I really want to invite everyone because we all have people in our lives who are distant from God.

And we want to be, we want more than anything to be in heaven with them. And everyone out there wants to do something, but they, but what they lack often is confidence and competence.

“That's what we can help you with. We can help you in both of those. And like you said, even if you think you're imperfect and you're not the person to do it, to give to others and to be able to help others will help you develop.”

And spiritually, personally, for yourself, for your own sake, for your own soul. And we've developed a process that it's very efficient. And between the daily grocery podcast and the training we can give you live online, it's very effective, but we can't help you if you don't take part. We have to just click on the link below. Join the movement. We'll get in touch with you. We'll walk you through it. It's very easy. And it might just mean the whole spiritual difference for your loved ones. Well, thanks for the conversation.

And let's be apostles of friendship, good conversation, and the rosary. Share this with others.