Pope Francis says that mercy is the very essence of God. Today's Scriptures, like a comforting refrain, focus on mercy. We all must choose to follow God's mercy so that we can love one another without counting the cost. The commandments are not simply rules but God's invitation to love.

This Sunday's psalm tells us, "The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. Not according to our sins does he deal with us." God looks beyond our faults and sees what we need. Sometimes, we don't consider ourselves "blessed" because we are imperfect. Jesus reminds us that we are all a work in progress and God has not abandoned us. Through prayer and lovingly forgiving each other, we find healing and peace. 

We don't have to look far to search for God's mercy. It's a universal gift, present in every aspect of our lives. The entire scripture reflects God's mercy. Jesus breaks into our human history as the fulfillment of God's mercy, forgiveness, and love for us. How has Jesus' presence in our lives made a difference? We are all part of this universal mercy, united in our shared experience of God's love.

God's mercy covers us all. Jesus' law of love calls us to recognize the faces of our sisters and brothers in each other. The kingdom of God is all of us united and blessed. We are all connected. With Jesus, people of every race, language, and culture are called to share in the one love that comes to us from God.

Using Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as a model, we claim our title as "Blessed." God never gets tired of calling us to love at a deeper level. Focusing on this call, we can find hope and peace that God's mercy in our lives will not just change, but transform the face of the earth for the better. It's a powerful force that can inspire us to be the change we want to see in the world.