March 22, 2026 - Pastor Message
March 21, 2026THE WORKS OF MERCY THE SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY
THE WORKS OF MERCY
THE SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY
“Jesus said, ‘Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners’” (Matthew 9: 12-13).
Continuing our reflection on the works of mercy, much like the Precepts of the Church, we begin with the understanding that these do not replace or in any way nullify the law of God. They simply give us some concrete ways that we can live out the law of God by loving God and loving neighbor. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us: “The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities” (CCC, 2447). They are born of mercy, which, in its original meaning, was a reward for some meritorious action, but which evolved over time to mean gratuitous action, done out of a sense of empathy for another person to show them Christ-like love, not because they deserve it, but simply because they need it. It is therefore considered the highest virtue because it benefits both the recipient and the giver: the recipient, because they receive something they need, and the giver, because it makes them more like Christ for giving without expecting a return.
Because we are both spiritual and bodily beings, with both spiritual and bodily needs, the works of mercy have traditionally been distinguished as both spiritual and bodily, or corporal (from the Latin word for body). The spiritual works of mercy are: instructing the ignorant; counseling the doubtful; admonishing sinners; bearing wrongs; forgiving sinners; comforting the afflicted; and praying for others, living and deceased. These again have to do with people’s spiritual needs, spirit here meaning the whole inner dimension of the person, particularly as it relates to their eternal salvation. So instructing the ignorant does not necessarily mean teaching them calculus, as useful as that may be. Rather, it means teaching them the truth about God and his Son, Jesus Christ. Counseling the doubtful does not mean assuring people that they can swim in the deep end of the pool. Rather, it means affirming their faith in Christ during times of spiritual struggle. Admonishing sinners doesn’t mean condemning people, which isn’t our job, but acknowledging that some actions are right and some are wrong, and not being afraid to say so. Bearing wrongs doesn’t mean pretending that we haven’t been harmed, but rather choosing not to hold that harm against others, especially when they have acted out of ignorance. Forgiving others is the next step in the same process, seeking healing in a relationship that others have harmed by their sin. Comforting the afflicted can take a variety of forms, but, being embodied souls, anytime we suffer, it will affect our souls, so here we mean offering spiritual consolation to others, even when we can’t comfort them physically. And praying for others is self-explanatory, simply calling them to mind and lifting our minds and hearts to God, asking him to help them, whether they are living or deceased, which, by the way, is the whole purpose for funeral Masses and why I cannot encourage you enough to have a funeral Mass, or at least Masses prayed for their intention, for deceased loved ones.
The season of Lent is all about mercy - God’s incredible mercy for us and the mercy that love inspires us to show others. Let’s join our fellow Catholics around the country in showing mercy to others in ever-greater ways as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, and don’t forget to record those acts of mercy on the bulletin board in the gathering space!
Fr. Marc Stockton
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