Body
Practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy should be an essential part of our daily practice of Christianity; we cannot be good Christians if we do not act as Christians ought. The corporal works of mercy are well-known: to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, ransom the captive, and bury the dead. Their practice insures that the temporary, physical needs of our fellow humans are met. The spiritual works of mercy, because they focus on our spiritual needs, are arguably more important, since they concern the wellbeing of our immortal souls. There are seven spiritual works of mercy: to warn the sinner; instruct the ignorant; counsel the doubtful; comfort the sorrowful; bear wrongs patiently; forgive all injuries; and pray for the living and the dead. Some of these works may require considerable tact and discretion in how, or even whether, they are carried out. One may not always have the means or the station in society to admonish sinners or instruct the ignorant, and our attempts to comfort the sorrowful may not be wanted. But, others are what are sometimes called “perfect” duties and must always be carried out. We must always bear wrongs patiently, and we are instructed to forgive all injuries. We should reflect on the spiritual works of mercy and how we can more fully implement them in our life.
