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03 Apr 2016 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle C

When I was a boy playing the back yards of the old neighborhood, my friend Hillel, who lived across the alley, would just stop in the middle of whatever we were playing—kick the can, red rover, whatever—and shout out, “WHO IS HAVING MORE FUN THAN WE ARE?” It’s not surprising. His dad was a rabbi. Imbedded in Judaism is a deep and profound love for and commitment to celebrating the Jubilee. Incredibly, the 50th-year jubilee meant emancipating slaves and giving land sold to pay debts back to the owner. They found it fun. The ram’s horn would be blown. They understood that justice and mercy brought joy. We are currently in the middle of the Jubilee of Mercy, a year set aside by Pope Francis to live out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. (Don’t remember them from Confirmation? Google them). We are called to open the doors to all who need us. This is Divine Mission Sunday. Easter has just been celebrated. The risen Jesus is in our midst. It is a time to act, a time for miracles. Pick one of the works of mercy. Practice it and have fun doing it.

Authors Father Dominic Grassi

corporal works of mercy spiritual works of mercy fun

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Exploring the word

26 Jul 2009 - Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Last week we emphasized the reality of spiritual hunger and the necessity to engage the spiritual works of mercy. This weekend’s gospel provides ballast for that idea by reminding us that physical hunger is just as real and has a vital claim on our compassion. And not only on our compassion, but on God’s mercy as well. We can’t ignore the hunger of the world anymore than Jesus could look away from the famished crowd that stood before him in a deserted place. I’m happy to say I’ve never met a Christian who doesn’t appreciate the moral necessity to assist the disadvantaged by sharing resources. Not everyone follows through, of course, but at least we all admit it’s part of the package of our religious responsibility. For some the enormity of the task is what daunts us. We are like Elisha’s servant, objecting to the 20 barley loaves because they are not 100—or like Andrew, being dismissive of the boy with five loaves and two fish because his lunch pales in relationship to the needs of the crowd. We can protest that our coins are not enough—or we can, like the widow at the temple treasury, give our mite and trust that God will find it acceptable. The multiplication of the loaves is a miracle, obviously, but it’s not rocket science. Two things are clear: that we must bring what we have, and that we must trust that God will do the rest. Mother Teresa once said of her work: “I never look at the masses as my responsibility; I look at the individual. I can only love one person at a time—just one, one, one. So you begin. I began—I picked up one person. Maybe if I didn’t pick up that person, I wouldn’t have picked up 42,000. . . . The same thing goes for you, the same thing in your family, the same thing in your church, your community. Just begin—one, one, one.” I’ve known folks who run multimillion-dollar corporations who also shelter the homeless, and I also have friends who just ride around in their hatchback on cold nights and ladle out soup in the city park. Whether on the large scale or the small, they tell the same story: One night they saw a need and felt moved to give what they had. Another fellow who gave up smoking now keeps dollar bills in the ashtray of his car. When someone asks for spare change, he reaches into what used to be his cigarette money and hands it over. He doesn’t ascertain whether the person will use it wisely or poorly. He recognizes he used to employ this money to trash his lungs and jeopardize his family, so he’s hardly in a position to judge. Give, share, respond, and let God gather up the fragments, that nothing may be wasted. Related scripture links God’s generosity at work: Gen. 33:11; Num. 10:29; Sir. 35:7-14; Luke 6:38 The evils of gluttony and excess: Sir. 31:12-20; 37:26-30; Amos 4:1-3; 6:1-7 Lilies of the field: Matt. 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-34 Catechism links One God of all: CCC 74; 172; 1971; 2792 Multiplication of loaves: CCC 1335

Authors Alice Camille

spiritual hunger spiritual works of mercy miracle of the loaves and fishes Mother Teresa

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Exploring the word

19 Jul 2009 - Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Back in grade school I smelled a rat when it came to the works of mercy. I understood perfectly why feeding the hungry or giving water to the thirsty was a compassionate thing to do. And of course the homeless need shelter, the shivering need clothing, the sick and imprisoned want company, and the dead could use a proper burial. It took no religious imagination whatsoever to perceive why a merciful person would do these things. But those are the corporal works of mercy. The other list was the one that made me suspicious. The spiritual works of mercy didn’t sound very merciful at all to me: Warn the sinner? Teach the ignorant? I hated being warned, and dreaded being taught. Counseling, comforting, forgiving, and praying, maybe. But I considered it more charitable when someone overlooked my faults and left me blissfully ignorant. Fast-forward 15 years and I became—by choice no less—a religious educator. Warning the sinner and teaching the ignorant is what I do for a living. In the last quarter century I have changed my mind a great deal about a lot of things, most especially what constitutes mercy toward my fellow human beings. And I presume everyone who grows up to be a parent, instructor, senior employee, program director, minister, or leader of any kind knows how true it is that ignorance cries out for learning and erring for correction. That’s why, instead of putting his feet up after a long day of healing the sick and chasing demons down the street, Jesus shakes his head, sighs deeply, and starts teaching. How can he do otherwise? Just look at those people, milling about, not having a clue what life is for, what every day might mean if spent in the reign of God instead of the marketplace of Galilee. These people think life is about making money, baking bread, doing what the priests say, keeping your head down around the Romans. They honestly believe that a good day means retiring with a stomach full of food, and a good life means dying with a son at your side to carry on your name. They’ve set their sights so low and near that they don’t even think to lift their eyes and see what more there could be. And there’s so much more; heaven is just brimming with glory to behold. We who grow up to know how important it is to feed the spiritually hungry are the blessed ones. It means we’ve been nourished ourselves, that someone showed compassion to us and gave us a glimpse of how much bigger life is than the belly, and how much more there is to life than leaving our name behind at the end. Related scripture links Good King Hezekiah: 2 Kings 18:5 The cry of the poor: Ps. 34:16-18; Job 34:28; Prov. 21:13 The parable of the lost sheep: Luke 15:1-7 Jesus as the good shepherd: John 10:11-16 Jesus will lose none given to him: John 6:37-39 Catechism links Shepherds: CCC 525; 543; 553; 605; 754; 764; 881; 896; 1038; 1551

Authors Alice Camille

spiritual works of mercy religious education Good Shepherd king

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23 Nov 2008 - Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Cycle A

But the sleek and the strong I will destroy. After hearing from Ezekiel a list of the nurturing things God does as a shepherd—rescue, gather, give rest, heal, guide, refresh, nourish—it is a bit jarring to hear about destruction. But this reading, as does the gospel for the Solemnity of Christ the King, also has to do with judgment, in particular judgment based on how the “little ones” are treated. “I will judge between. . . rams and goats,” says the Lord God. And in the famous passage from Matthew 25 heard this weekend, the followers of Jesus will be judged by how they treat those with whom Jesus most identifies. The threat to destroy the sleek and the strong, then, is God’s way of saying God will not allow the strong and healthy to oppress the weak and ill. Christ in the gospel says the same thing: Those who cast away others in need will receive the same treatment at the judgment. Treat others as God treats you: like a good shepherd. Liturgical note The following may be useful as part of the presider’s greeting to the assembly, the homily, or a bulletin item. When he instituted the Solemnity of Christ the King in 1925, Pope Pius XI had in mind the defense of the rights of religion in relation to the state as well the benefits that would flow from the state’s respect for Christ’s kingship. If the kingdom of Christ,” he wrote, “receives, as it should, all nations under its sway, there seems no reason why we should despair of seeing that peace which the King of Peace came to bring on earth—he who came to reconcile all things, who came not to be ministered unto but to minister, who, though Lord of all, gave himself to us as a model of humility, and with his principal law united the precept of charity” (from the encyclical Quas Primas). The feast is also placed at the end of the church year: “Because it is at the end of the liturgical year . . . the feast of the Kingship of Christ sets the crowning glory upon the mysteries of the life of Christ already commemorated during the year.” The solemnity of Christ the King celebrates Christ’s kingship over the whole year but also over our lives. Ultimately, Christ is king over many things–death, the authorities and powers of the world–but how we enter his kingdom depends on how we treat the least of our brother and sisters. The Corporal and the Spiritual Works of Mercy The first six Corporal Works of Mercy are listed in this Sunday’s reading (Matt. 25:31-46). The seventh was a practice of the early Christian community especially in relation to the recovery and burial of the bodies of martyrs, which were often thrown into the street. The Corporal Works of Mercy 1. Feed the hungry 2. Give drink to the thirsty 3. Clothe the naked 4. Visit the imprisoned 5. Shelter the homeless 6. Visit the sick 7. Bury the dead The Spiritual Works of Mercy 1. Admonish the sinner (Prov. 28:23) 2. Instruct the ignorant (1 Ezra 7:25) 3. Counsel the doubtful (Dan. 4:1-24) 4. Comfort the sorrowful (John 21:19-38) 5. Bear wrongs patiently (Heb. 12:1-4) 6. Forgive all injuries (Matt. 6:12, 28:21-22) 7. Pray for the living and the dead (James 5:16, 2 Macc. 12:38-46) All ordinary deeds done each day to relieve the corporal or spiritual needs of others are true works of mercy.

Authors Joel Schorn

corporal works of mercy spiritual works of mercy solemnity of christ the king Good Shepherd

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23 Apr 2017 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle A

My dad was a regular attendee of wakes and funerals. The natural politician in him made it a good way to stay connected with his people: family, friends, and business associates. The Irish in him made it fun, which meant that, more often than not, my mom, my sisters, and I were in tow as my dad stopped by the wake of a classmate from high school, a buddy from the bar, or a relative we never knew we had. I remember once worrying about not knowing what to say to a grieving widow. My mom said, “Just say, ‘I’m so sorry for your loss.’ That’s it. Remember, this isn’t about your comfort. It’s about offering comfort to someone else who is sad and hurting.” The catechism couldn’t have put it any better. The works of mercy—like consoling the afflicted and burying the dead—are specifically intended to relieve the bodily (corporal) and spiritual suffering of our neighbors. Offering works of mercy to people in pain is our way of paying forward the mercy God showers on us. Divine Mercy Sunday is a good time to remember how we bear witness to mercy through these merciful acts: Corporal: Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; tend to the imprisoned; bury the dead. Spiritual: Instruct the uninstructed; counsel the doubtful; admonish the sinner; bear wrongs patiently; forgive offenses willingly; console the afflicted; pray for the living and the dead.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

funerals works of mercy corporal works of mercy spiritual works of mercy

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16 Apr 2023 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle A

My dad was a regular attendee of wakes and funerals. The natural politician in him made it a good way to stay connected with his people: family, friends, and business associates. The Irish in him made it fun, which meant that, more often than not, my mom, my sisters, and I were in tow as my dad stopped by the wake of a classmate from high school, a buddy from the bar, or a relative we never knew we had. I remember once worrying about not knowing what to say to a grieving widow. My mom said, “Just say, ‘I’m so sorry for your loss.’ That’s it. Remember, this isn’t about your comfort. It’s about offering comfort to someone else who is sad and hurting.” The catechism couldn’t have put it any better. The works of mercy—like consoling the afflicted and burying the dead—are specifically intended to relieve the bodily (corporal) and spiritual suffering of our neighbors. Offering works of mercy to people in pain is our way of paying forward the mercy God showers on us. Divine Mercy Sunday is a good time to remember how we bear witness to mercy through these merciful acts: Corporal: Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; tend to the imprisoned; bury the dead. Spiritual: Instruct the uninstructed; counsel the doubtful; admonish the sinner; bear wrongs patiently; forgive offenses willingly; console the afflicted; pray for the living and the dead.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

corporal works of mercy spiritual works of mercy

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Featured Exploring the Word

21 Jul 2024 - Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Back in grade school I smelled a rat when it came to the works of mercy. I understood perfectly why feeding the hungry or giving water to the thirsty was a compassionate thing to do. And of course the homeless need shelter, the shivering need clothing, the sick and imprisoned want company, and the dead could use a proper burial. It took no religious imagination whatsoever to perceive why a merciful person would do these things. But those are the corporal works of mercy. The other list was the one that made me suspicious. The spiritual works of mercy didn’t sound very merciful at all to me: Warn the sinner? Teach the ignorant? I hated being warned, and dreaded being taught. Counseling, comforting, forgiving, and praying, maybe. But I considered it more charitable when someone overlooked my faults and left me blissfully ignorant. Fast-forward 15 years and I became—by choice no less—a religious educator. Warning the sinner and teaching the ignorant is what I do for a living. In the last quarter century I have changed my mind a great deal about a lot of things, most especially what constitutes mercy toward my fellow human beings. And I presume everyone who grows up to be a parent, instructor, senior employee, program director, minister, or leader of any kind knows how true it is that ignorance cries out for learning and erring for correction. That’s why, instead of putting his feet up after a long day of healing the sick and chasing demons down the street, Jesus shakes his head, sighs deeply, and starts teaching. How can he do otherwise? Just look at those people, milling about, not having a clue what life is for, what every day might mean if spent in the reign of God instead of the marketplace of Galilee. These people think life is about making money, baking bread, doing what the priests say, keeping your head down around the Romans. They honestly believe that a good day means retiring with a stomach full of food, and a good life means dying with a son at your side to carry on your name. They’ve set their sights so low and near that they don’t even think to lift their eyes and see what more there could be. And there’s so much more; heaven is just brimming with glory to behold. We who grow up to know how important it is to feed the spiritually hungry are the blessed ones. It means we’ve been nourished ourselves, that someone showed compassion to us and gave us a glimpse of how much bigger life is than the belly, and how much more there is to life than leaving our name behind at the end. Related scripture links Good King Hezekiah: 2 Kings 18:5 The cry of the poor: Ps. 34:16-18; Job 34:28; Prov. 21:13 The parable of the lost sheep: Luke 15:1-7 Jesus as the good shepherd: John 10:11-16 Jesus will lose none given to him: John 6:37-39 Catechism links Shepherds: CCC 525; 543; 553; 605; 754; 764; 881; 896; 1038; 1551 Adapted from a previously published Exploring the word.

Authors Alice Camille

corporal works of mercy spiritual works of mercy

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