Blessed are the merciful

“Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be theirs.”

In the Sixth Sorrow, Mary receives the Body of Christ. Not as we receive the Body of Christ at Communion, but she receives the dead, almost unrecognizable body of her beloved Son. How does Mary exemplify this Beatitude?

Mercy is the act of giving something good to someone who does not deserve it. Most often this comes in the form of compassion, or forgiveness, but mercy can also be given as food or clothing (consider the corporal works of mercy).

At the foot of the cross, Mary looks at her son's body, and then she looks at the soldiers who killed him. Then she looks at the chief priests who condemned him. She looks out over Jerusalem at the thousands of people who once praised Jesus as Son of David, but then abandoned him at the hour of his death.

What fills her heart as she looks upon these murderers? these traitors? these indifferent souls? Her heart is filled with compassion. She wants them to know the treasures of Paradise so that they can repent and turn to God. She doesn't curse them. She doesn't lash out at them. She doesn't harbor an ounce of resentment. She forgives them. She cries for their actions, but more than that, she agrees to be their Spiritual Mother. She agrees to be your Spiritual Mother, even though you have betrayed and abandoned her Son.

Through her tears, her soul overflows with mercy for yes, even you! And now that you have experienced this mercy, and especially the mercy of God who gives you such a great Spiritual Mother, will you then offer mercy to others? When you do, you will experience the Blessing of this Beatitude:

“Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be theirs."

If you are reading this, then you want to grow closer to Jesus through Mary. My goal is to provide you and others with resources that help you experience the promises of the Seven Sorrows. Others have experienced these blessings. If you have not made a resolution to pray this Devotion every day, I urge you to make a commitment today!