* You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind, and with your whole strength.
** You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
"At time we are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father's action in our lives." ~ Pope Francis
for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. ~ Matthew 25:35–36
If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ~
James 2:15-16
To love God, our neighbour, and ourselves, we must keep the commandments of God and of the Church, and perform spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
The Corporal Works of Mercy
1. Feed the hungry
We should provide food and other necessities to the poorest and most needy, who do not have enough to eat every day. If someone is hungry for food, give them what you can. If someone is hungry for attention, or for your time, give them some of yours. Eat a little less whenever possible, and collect the savings to give to the poor. Consciously avoid wasting food as much as possible. Whatever money is saved by not wasting can be collected and used to help someone in need.
2. Give drink to the Thirsty
What is said of food in feeding the hungry also applies to give drink to the thirsty, where some are unable get access to clean water or in places where supply of water is poor or none.
3. Clothe the naked
Everyone needs clothing for warmth, protection, modesty and dignity. It is an act of love to help others obtain clothing, especially those who need of clean and proper not torn clothings. Go through your drawers and closets and find clothes and shoes in good condition, towels and sheets too, to give as "hand-me-downs" to someone who can use them, to donate to agencies that assist those in need, or to recycle and “re-purpose” them.
4. Shelter the homeless
Many people are homeless or shelter-less these days. Some people live in cardboard homes; some people live in homes made of discarded materials; many people are homeless. To help the homeless obtain shelter or to preserve it is an act of love. Take any opportunity to help a family member or a friend to find a home, keep a home, or make repairs on their home.
5. Visit the sick
Helping the sick and elderly, both caring for their physical needs and offering them company and friendly conversation.
6. Visit the imprisoned
Call or visit someone who you know is imprisoned by fear, or anger, or hatred, or illness. Your kindness can help to free them. Pray for all those who are incarcerated, or who are imprisoned by fear, anxiety, or illness.
7. Bury the dead
In times of war, or those who have no one to bury them. It is important to give decent burial to the dead because the human body, if it was Christian, was the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit: we are “temples of the Holy Spirit” (I Cor 6:19). Attend wakes and funerals of people you know whenever you can. Spend time with people you know who have lost a loved one. Take someone to visit the cemetery if they can't get there on their own.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy
1. Admonish the sinner
We should correct our neighbour gently and humbly. We will often find it difficult, but if so we can recall what St James says at the end of his Letter: “Whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (Jas 5:20).
2. Instruct the ignorant
It is an act of love to help others in one way or another to learn the truths they need to know to save their souls.
3. Counsel the doubtful
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the gift of Counsel. Anyone who aims to give good advice to others must first have a clear conscience and be able to listen to God, because what we should give is not our personal opinion but true guidance to those who need it.
4. Comfort the sorrowful
An act to help another person in any kind of sorrow, and to refrain from doing anything that would unnecessarily cause another person more sorrow.
5. Bear wrongs patiently
Patience in the face of wrong is a virtue, and a true work of mercy. However, in cases where bearing other people’s defects or wrong-doing in silence causes objective harm to the person doing wrong, or to others, we also need to have the courage and charity to correct the wrong-doer gently and positively.
6. Forgive all injuries
It is an act of deep love to forgive all those who have injured us in any way, even deliberately and with malice. Christ demands that His followers have great love and forgiveness for one another and even for our enemies in imitation of His own forgiveness of us and of His enemies as He hung on the cross.
7. Pray for the living and the dead
Sharing in the communion of saints demands that we pray for everyone. This is a great means of spreading the fires of love to others, whether in this world or in purgatory. Prayers for the dead at a cemetery carry special graces.
Lent is a time to stop for a moment, and ask how, within the boundaries of our duties and budget, we can extend the reach of our love. The Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy illustrate the ways to show Charity and Love toward others.
Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved.
No comments:
Post a Comment