The Sermon on the Mount (Bossuet)/Day 6
Sixth Day
FIFTH BEATITUDE
To be merciful. — Matt. v. 7.
BLESSED are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.' The most beautiful fruit of love is to be touched by the ills of others. ‘ It is more blessed to give than to receive,' said Jesus Christ. This saying had not been recorded by the Evangelists, but God chose St Paul to have the honour of handing it down to us. ‘Remember,' said that Apostle, [1] ‘the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'It is a more blessed thing to give rather than to receive.”' Blessed, then, are those who both give and really like giving better than receiving. Blessed, furthermore, is he who invites to his feast, not the rich who can return his hospitality, but the poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind. ‘Then,' said our Saviour, [2] ' thou shalt be blessed, because they have not wherewith to make thee recompense, for recompense shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just.’ Blessed, therefore, are the merciful, who give without hope of receiving anything [3] from those towards whom they show mercy, for they themselves shall obtain unending mercy from God.
We must then have mercy on all we may see in suffering: on the sick and the afflicted: — we must soothe them by words of comfort and wise counsel if we have nothing else to give: — help them to bear their troubles, and if possible share these with them.
This is the most beautiful of all offerings. 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice,’ as He Himself has said.