Works of Mercy

Today's Gospel reading is from Matthew 25: 31-46:

For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

This is the scriptural basis for one aspect of what Lent is all about. During Lent we are asked to do fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Almsgiving is not only about giving money to the poor but about what the Church calls Works of Mercy. According to Church tradition, there are 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy and 7 Corporal Works of Mercy.

The Corporal Works of Mercy

To feed the hungry
To give drink to the thirsty.
To clothe the naked.
To visit and ransom the captives.
To shelter the homeless.
To visit the sick.
To bury the dead.


The Spiritual Works of Mercy

To admonish sinners.
To instruct the ignorant.
To counsel the doubtful.
To comfort the sorrowful.
To bear wrongs patiently.
To forgive all injuries.
To pray for the living and the dead.

To some, this lifestyle of doing good works is something that is rather taken for granted. Someone is sick, and you visit them. Someone dies, and you bake that casserole and send it over after the funeral. This is just what you do. Many will go to funerals of people they have not seen in 30 years because someone they know has died and they want to pray for their soul and comfort those left behind.

But for many in the world today, this is *not* what is done for them. Those who do not have a church home, or those who have not put down roots in a community are often surprised to see this type of generosity. They can't fathom a relative stranger doing this type of thing for them. But it is something that we are asked to do by the Lord and by the Church. It is a natural outgrowth of our commitment to Christ and our salvation.

So, if you are ever tempted to think that your presence by a sick bed, or at a funeral or homeless shelter does not make a difference, believe me, it does. Even more so, if you think that praying for a "hopeless" situation--even for someone who has already passed from this life, does no good, you are wrong. We are commanded to pray for the living and the dead. If you feel overwhelmed by your own life at the moment and you know that you cannot get out to do those Corporal Works of Mercy, you always have available to you the last of the Spiritual Works of Mercy--to pray for the living and the dead. You may not be granted the grace to see that difference while you are still on this earth, but it does make a difference.