Works of Mercy

During Lent it’s important to take the time to find ways to make our actions follow our thoughts and words of love for our Lord. Luke 10:27 tells us “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbor as thyself.” So how do we do this?

 

The Church teaches us the Corporal Works of Mercy and the Spiritual Works of Mercy. These are:

 

The Corporal (Material) Works of Mercy

1. To feed the hungry.

2. To give drink to the thirsty.

3. To clothe the naked.

4. To visit the imprisoned.

5. To shelter the homeless.

6. To visit the sick.

7. To bury the dead.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

1. To admonish the sinner. 

2. To instruct the ignorant.

3. To counsel the doubtful.

4. To comfort the sorrowful.

5. To bear wrongs patiently.

6. To forgive all injuries.

7. To pray for the living and the dead.

So, if you can’t go down to the homeless shelter and ladle soup, can you support them financially? Or the pro-life groups if you can’t pray in front of the abortion mills? Can you be a sympathetic listener to someone who is going through a tough time? Can you smile and say hello to a stranger (even if you’re wearing a mask) who might need a kind word? Can you donate clothing you don't wear to a thrift shop?

 

How about bearing wrongs patiently or forgiving someone who has done something against you? Yes, those take a lot of practice, but if we expect God to do this for us, we need to make the effort to do this for others. (Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.)

 

Lent is a good place to start on practicing these things, but remember, they don’t end on Easter. If we want to show God how much we love Him, it’s a year-round thing.

 

Pray, pray, pray.