Pope Francis interprets the fifth Beatitude—“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”—as a promise grounded in reciprocity. Since every person is a debtor who has failed to live perfectly, forgiveness cannot be self-generated; it is first received as God’s grace and then extended to one’s neighbours. Recognising one’s own need for mercy opens the heart to forgive those who have caused harm, turning human failure into an occasion for sharing God’s boundless mercy.