Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

To be merciful is to display great acts of forgiveness, compassion, and kindness toward people who have hurt us and towards those who are going through hard times. This entails letting go of any grudges, animosity, and desire for vengeance. We need to love our enemies and show mercy since God has extended unlimited mercy to us. We must "'forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us'... [and] forgive others, even your enemies, without strings attached"(pg 127). Since we are physical creatures, it is required of us to show mercy through caring for the physical well-being of other people, that is, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless among others. By extending such mercy to others, we become recipients of God's mercy in return.

• Contemporary Figure: Pope John Paul II

It was in 1983 that Pope John Paul II taught the world one of its greatest lessons on mercy. Two years after the shooting and a near-fatal attack, the Pope entered a prison cell to personally confront the man who had tried to assassinate him. However, far from being angry at the man who almost ended his life, Pope John Paul II embraced him and forgave him publicly. He later shared, "I spoke to him as a brother whom I have pardoned and who has my complete trust."

• Personal Application:

Mercy can be exercised by a high school student through forgiveness when someone who is a good friend has revealed one’s personal information without his or her consent but has apologized sincerely. This entails forgiving him or her instead of excluding them or speaking ill of them.