Blessed are the merciful! For they shall obtain mercy.

This phrase expresses the spiritual law of cause and effect which Jesus stated more one once - to make sure his listeners will remember it. "As you sow, so you shall reap". "Judge not, that you may not be judged".

First of all, let us note that this beatitude is applied to our inner reality. It certainly has outer implications, but they are of secondary importance in our context. In truth, we will never love others and be merciful to them in sufficient measure until we learn sound self-love and self-acceptance. People who do not realize this experience difficulties with loving others, even if they attempt to love with all of their hearts.

One of the saddest mistakes of those who sincerely strive for perfection is a notion that improvements can be achieved through self-criticism and self-condemnation. Their greatest need is to learn that all so-called weaknesses are potential strengths, and there is nothing inherently evil about us.

Jesus instructs us to be compassionate and merciful to those aspects of our being which haven't reached desired maturity yet. By doing that, we will integrate them in our soul structure and make sure there will be unrestricted energy exchange and consequential development of all aspects. Our whole being will be enriched.

But what if we maintain our unhealthy habit of judging ourselves? Judgment always creates inner tensions and divisions which restrict energy flow and impede our soul unfoldment. The other thing is that condemned feelings, desires, or traits seldom disappear. More often they remain hidden in our subconsciousness, away from our attention - yet always ready to surface when we don't expect it.

There is a deep and profound statement in the Gospel of Thomas which also encourages us to become fully integrated persons:

Jesus said to them, "When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female... then you will enter the kingdom."

From the human standpoint, we might consider some of our aspects "lower" - and even desire to get rid of them. But God knows better: all we have within ourselves is a meaningful and valuable possession. It is meant to serve our good, even if we don't realize it. Extend mercy, and you will know how it could happen. We might fully identify ourselves with either "male" or "female" energies. Yet the Spirit reveals us that there is "female" within every "male", and there is "male" within every "female". As long as we deny that, we don't fully understand ourselves and cannot constructively interact with others.

Do we need mercy from God? No, because God is pure and unconditional love which does not know anything but mercy. God cannot ever condemn us. But we do need mercy in our life experiences. People who judge themselves and others may not be aware of this, but they attract judgment. They create for themselves a reality where they will be blamed, condemned, and even punished for their real or illusory shortcomings. It will be unpleasant and even painful.

Some people think that love is a luxury or a special prise which they are willing give to some "chosen ones". But true understanding reveals that love toward all is the necessity. It is the foundation of all development and progress, all fulfilment, all happiness.

(to be continued)