What Are The Corporal And Spiritual Works Of Mercy

In Christian ethics, works of mercy (also known as acts of mercy) are behaviors that are seen as virtuous.

In the Catholic Church, it is widely practiced as a form of penance and compassion. Furthermore, according to the Methodist church, deeds of kindness are a means of grace that lead to holiness and aid in sanctification.

Traditionally, mercy deeds have been classified into two groups, each with seven elements:

• “Corporal works of mercy” concern other people's material and bodily necessities.

On November 30, 1980, Pope John Paul II published the papal encyclical “Dives in Misericordia,” in which he stated that “Jesus Christ taught that man is called not only to accept and feel God's mercy, but also to ‘perform kindness' toward others.” The Divine Mercy devotion, which is based on apparitions of Jesus Christ to Saint Faustina Kowalska, is another noteworthy devotion related with actions of mercy.

What are the 7 corporal works of mercy?

This picture appears to show a bustling genre scene in a Dutch village, yet it contains more than meets the eye. The scene's numerous groupings of characters represent the seven bodily acts of mercy: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, providing refuge to travelers, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned, and burying the dead. There are various variations of this piece.

What are examples of spiritual works of mercy?

As you may recall, I mentioned in my previous column that I would write about the 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy in the same way that I wrote about the 7 Corporal Works of Mercy. However, I did include a disclaimer. It's a lot easier to perform the 7 Corporal Works of Mercy than it is to perform the 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy. Why, you might wonder? Because doing spiritual deeds of mercy involves a great deal more humility, disciplined charity, and the capacity to communicate without appearing arrogant or nagging. So here we go…

• To educate the uninitiated. This compassion task entails that we are all called to share and teach the faith that has been passed down to us. This, of course, necessitates a thorough understanding of our faith and what our church actually teaches. And the most effective approach to instruct and teach is to lead by example.
• To give advice to those who are unsure. Everyone has doubts and concerns regarding their beliefs. Mother Teresa, like everyone else, had dark hours of the soul when she felt uncertainty and despair. This act of mercy reminds us of the importance of walking intimately with individuals going through changes, loss, or significant trials, praying for them and being there for them.
• To chastise a sinner. This is a difficult one, especially if one is honest about one's own life. “Those who live in glass homes should not fling stones,” as Pope Francis put it, or “Who am I to judge?” as he put it. However, this third act of kindness requires us to engage in a dialogue with people about any sinful behavior that may occur. This is where compassion and charity must be utilized with caution, with words carefully chosen to avoid coming across as preachy, nagging, or “holier than thou.” This isn't going to be easy.
• To patiently suffer wrongs. Our pride is to blame here, and revenge is the temptation. The words of Jesus, “Turn the other cheek,” resound in our ears, but doing so is difficult. And I believe it is often more difficult to bear wrongdoings and be patient in the face of adversity when someone harms our children or grandchildren.
• To willingly forgive wrongdoings. This act of mercy is inextricably linked to patiently bearing wrongdoing. It takes time to forgive, and even if one does not feel fully at ease with the other, the desire to forgive is the first step toward full forgiveness. The promise from the Lord Jesus that “as many times as you forgive others, Keith, that's how many times I'll forgive you” helps me forgive another.
• To console the bereaved. There are moments when we witness someone going through a difficult period and we are powerless to help him or her. Our words are insufficient, and our actions are ineffective. All we can do is walk silently in love and prayer with him or her. I'll never forget something a seminary classmate did for me one day. Bill patted me on the shoulder one day in chapel, knowing how sad and afraid I was when Momma was dying, and said, “I'm thinking you're having a hard time praying right now.” In your honor, I'm praying especially hard right now.”
• It is customary to pray for both the living and the deceased. Prayer is unquestionably the most vital aspect of every work of mercy, whether spiritual or corporeal. Prayer that tries to bring us closer to God transforms the physical act of feeding the needy into a spiritual act of doing good for others while giving God honor. “Our private prayers for our neighbors and for the departed offers us little glory or acclaim from others,” one writer writes, “but in the end, when we stand before God, we will be able to give an account of our prayerful charity to others, and thus Jesus will grant mercy to us.”

This brings us to the end of the spiritual list, and coupled with bodily deeds of mercy, we can help to make the world a better place while also growing in holiness. Have a wonderful and safe Mardi Gras! This Sunday and on Ash Wednesday, I hope to see you in church!

Msgr. Keith DeRouen is the chancellor of Opelousas Catholic School and the pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church.

How many corporal and spiritual works of mercy are there respectively?

According to Christian belief, “Acts of compassion” are general behaviors that all devotees are expected to follow as part of their faith. These ethical practices, which meet human beings' material and non-material needs, are simply stated in paragraph 2447 of the Catholic Church's Catechism as: “charitable actions in which we come to our neighbor's aid in his spiritual and physical requirements Spiritual deeds of mercy include instructing, guiding, consoling, and soothing, as well as forgiving and patiently suffering wrongs. Feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burial the dead are examples of corporal deeds of compassion. Giving gifts to the impoverished is one of the most visible manifestations of brotherly compassion, as well as a labor of justice pleasing to God…”

The second collection of'spiritual' and ‘bodily' works (each enumerated with seven items) has, obviously, been explored more easily through visual art. The parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25:31-46 is the source for the first six bodily or corporal deeds of mercy: (1) feeding the hungry, (2) giving drink to the thirsty, (3) sheltering the homeless, (4) clothing the naked, (5) visiting the sick, and (6) visiting the imprisoned. They are the standards by which God will be judged in the end. An follower is considered righteous or unrighteous based on these activities, and is directed to paradise or hell, respectively. The final corporal work, (7) burial the dead, is taken from Tobit (1:17-19) in the Old Testament, which is included in the Catholic and Orthodox biblical canons but not in the Protestant. Pope Innocent III added it to the list in 1207.

(Most images can be expanded by clicking on them.) Below the images are some additional links of interest.)

What is 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit?

According to Chapter 5 of the Epistle to the Galatians, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” the Fruit of the Holy Spirit is a biblical term that sums up nine attributes of a person or community living in accordance with the Holy Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” In this chapter, the fruit is contrasted with the acts of the flesh that come before it.

Charity (caritas), joy (gaudium), peace (pax), patience (patientia), benignity (benignitas), goodness (bonitas), longanimity (longanimitas), mildness (mansuetudo), faith (fides), modesty (modestia), continency (continentia), and chastity are the twelve fruits recognized by the Catholic Church in the Latin Vulgate version of Galatians (castitas). The Baltimore Catechism, the Penny Catechism, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church all support this tradition, which was defended by Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica.

What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit and their meanings?

In Catholicism, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are a notion. The gifts are the seven graces conferred on Catholics who rightly practice their faith. Wisdom, piety, fear of the Lord, intellect, counsel, knowledge, and fortitude are listed in Isaiah chapter 11, verses 2-3 of the Bible. Catholics are encouraged to put their gifts to good use in their daily lives. Gifts arise as a result of living a spiritually pure life, as well as via the Catholic rite of passage of confirmation.

How do the works of mercy help us grow in virtue?

They can't be completely happy, no. What role do the Works of Mercy play in our virtuous growth? By putting the Works of Mercy into practice. He calls them happy because they will be joyful with God in heaven.

What does feed the hungry mean?

A faith-sharing resource for small groups that helps communities develop, motivate, and prepare to express Christ's compassionate love to hungry people all around the world.