Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy
Matthew 5:7
What great reward does the Lord Jesus Christ promise to the merciful? About what holy virtue is the Savior speaking in these words?
This virtue of love and mercy in all its beauty and power is personified, my dear ones, by the one whom our faithful, pious hearts glorify today: the “feeder of orphans,” consoler of the sorrowing, intercessor in prayer for all who seek God’s help and mercy—St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the glory of his love he shines in the Church’s heavens, and the light of this glory covers the whole earth.
The virtue of mercy is the highest of many. Whoever fulfills Christ’s commandment of love and mercy fulfills the entire Christian law. This is not our own, human thinking. It is the teaching of God’s word.
The holy apostle Paul says, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing (1 Cor. 13:1, 3).
And what wondrous fruits does this holiest and greatest of virtues, promised to us by our Lord and Savior, bring!
During the course of our earthly life we turn to the Lord with requests and pleas for forgiveness of our sins. We want our sins to be redeemed, as we weep and repent of them. The word of God teaches us to redeem our sins through charity (see: Dan. 4:24; Wisdom of Solomon 10:12; Is. 1:17-18).
Do you see, my dears ones, that through works of charity, the virtue of mercy, and fruits of love we can redeem our sinful falls for which we repent before the face of our Heavenly Father. What a consolation this is for our sinful hearts!
It would be a great happiness for us if God’s mercy would descend upon our whole lives and all our labors. Then, do works of love and mercy! The word of God tells us: But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6).