The Works: Part 1

  This morning, I was thinking about one of the Gospel readings this week that talked about separating sheep from goats because of what they did for others during their life. Today's first reading discusses how our eternal destination is not determined by whether or not the good we've done outweighs the bad. It's a matter of if you turn away from evil and seek good. It's determined on if you follow Jesus with both your words and your works, or if you turn away from those things. Jesus saved us, and by His Grace the doors of Heaven are opened to us, but we make the choice of if we get to walk through the pearly gates. Luckily, the Lord basically spells out what we need to do. One of the resources He gives us are the Corporal Works of Mercy.

  All of the Corporal Works of Mercy have to do with the body. Most of them are pretty straightforward, but there are unique ways to do all of them. I'll go through each of the 7 individually, and how it applies to us today:

1. Feed the hungry-- Like I said, pretty simple. Fortunately, you don't have to be a Christian to understand that there are many hungry people in the world. We have food pantries to donate to, places like The Banquet to serve at, missions such as Kids Against Hunger that feed people in impoverished countries, and so on. These are standard. But have you ever thought about people with a death in the family, or who have had a surgery, or recently had a baby? Bringing a meal to these people is a form of this work. Or perhaps your church is having a bake sale for their youth group. Baking an item for this is also a way to participate.

2. Give drink to the thirsty-- This can often go hand in hand with feeding the hungry, which makes it seem like a lesser work. But there are other ways to quench thirst. Maybe your spouse or parent is working outside on a hot day. Simply bringing them something to drink is mercy at work! There are also organizations that raise money to dig sustainable wells in countries with little access to clean drinking water. Donating to a cause like this is a great option if you cannot travel to dig the well yourself. Another way to act on this work of mercy is by being responsible with our natural resources. Try not to waste water; it's a gift!

3. Clothe the naked-- If you're like me, there is an element of attachment to articles of clothing. I always tell myself that I'll wear a certain shirt soon, when in reality the tag has been on it for years and probably won't come off. Gutting your closet and donating what you don't wear is a great way to live out this work of mercy! Winter or school clothing drives are also good options. The other thing with this one is to pay attention to how you are clothed. Modesty is part of this work of mercy, as well!

4. Shelter the homeless-- As I write this, there are displaced people because of immense flooding in our area. You may also know a person or family whose house burned down. Perhaps you could spare a room in your own home or organize an area at your church for these people to stay. Is there a friend who is going to be in town for a few days for an appointment, but can't afford a hotel room? Offer your couch! There are many truly homeless people all around us. Volunteer at your local homeless shelter; donate money or blankets or hygiene items to these places. Perhaps there is someone who needs housework done, but doesn't have the means to do so. Or maybe a friend is redoing their house and could use another set of hands to hang cabinets. Maybe Someone you know is moving, and they would really appreciate your help hauling their belongings across town.

5. Visit the sick-- If you haven't experienced this already, you will eventually have someone you know and love get ill and be in the hospital or hospice or be confined to their own bed. Setting aside time to visit them and bring joy to their world can make an incredible difference in their life. This work of mercy can also be lived out by accompanying someone to their doctor appointment, or bringing food to a family who had a member go through a health crisis.

6. Visit the imprisoned-- This work of mercy holds similarities to visiting the sick. We can expand in this one by visiting people who are incarcerated, obviously, but also those in nursing homes and assisted living.

7. Bury the dead-- Out of all of these, this one tends to be the most uncomfortable for us. It isn't necessarily telling us to go be gravediggers or funeral directors (although those are certainly noble callings) so much as it is our responsibility to make sure that every person gets the respect of being properly laid to rest. The best ways to do this are to attend funerals and visitations, praying for their souls and for their loved ones, keeping cemeteries well kept, and visiting the burial sites of people you've loved and lost.

The Corporal Works of Mercy are ways that we spread the love of God to everyone around us by focusing on the needs of the body. When we are judged by God at the end of time, He will ask if we did these things. Hopefully, we will be able to answer with a joyful "yes!"

The next post regarding works will be about the Spiritual Works of Mercy, so stay tuned!