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Works of mercy (sometimes known as acts of mercy) are practices which Christians perform.
Contents
The practice is common in the Catholic Church as an act of both penance and charity. In addition, the Methodist church teaches that the works of mercy are a means of grace which lead to holiness and aid in sanctification.
The works of mercy have been traditionally divided into two categories, each with seven elements:
- "Corporal works of mercy" which concern the material needs of others.
- "Spiritual works of mercy" which concern the spiritual needs of others.
Pope John Paul II issued a papal encyclical "Dives in misericordia" on 30 November 1980 declaring that "Jesus Christ taught that man not only receives and experiences the mercy of God, but that he is also called "to practice mercy" towards others. Another notable devotion associated with the works of mercy is the Divine Mercy, which are reputed to be apparitions of Jesus Christ to Saint Faustina Kowalska.
In the Catholic Church
Based on Jesus' doctrine of the sheep and the goats, the corporal and spiritual works of mercy are a means of grace as good deeds and their omission is a reason for damnation. Because the Messianic Age will be a time of mercy, and because the church believes this age began at Jesus' coming and believes Jesus obeyed every mitzvah and fulfilled the Scriptures, Catholics perform the works of mercy.
In particular cases, a given individual will not be obligated or even competent to perform four of the spiritual works of mercy, namely: instructing the ignorant, counseling the doubtful, admonishing sinners, and comforting the afflicted. These works may require a definitely superior level of authority or knowledge or an extraordinary amount of tact. The other works of mercy, however, are considered to be an obligation of all faithful to practise unconditionally. In an address on the 2016 World Day of Prayer for Creation, Pope Francis suggested "care for creation" as a new work of mercy. Corporally, it means simple daily gestures of peace and love; spiritually, it means contemplation of the world.
Corporal Works of Mercy
Corporal works of mercy are those that tend to the bodily needs of other creatures. They come from Isaiah 58 and the mitzvah of hospitality. The seventh work of mercy comes from the Book of Tobit and from the mitzvah of burial, although it was not added to the list until the Middle Ages.
The works include:
- To feed the hungry.
- To give water to the thirsty.
- To clothe the naked.
- To shelter the homeless.
- To visit the sick.
- To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive.
- To bury the dead.
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Just as the corporal works of mercy are directed towards relieving corporeal suffering, the aim of the spiritual works of mercy is to relieve spiritual suffering. The first four come from Ezekiel 33, the fifth comes from the mitzvah of forgiving others before receiving forgiveness from God, the sixth comes from Deuteronomy 15, and the seventh comes from Maccabees 2.
The works include:
- To instruct the ignorant.
- To counsel the doubtful.
- To admonish sinners.
- To bear patiently those who wrong us.
- To forgive offenses.
- To console the afflicted.
- To pray for the living and the dead.
In Methodism
In Methodist teaching, doing merciful acts is a prudential means of grace. Along with works of piety, they are necessary for the believer to move on to Christian perfection. In this sense, the Methodist concern for people at the margins is closely related to its worship. As such, these beliefs have helped create the emphasis of the social gospel in the Methodist Church.
- Doing Good
- Visiting the Sick and Prisoners
- Feeding and Clothing People
- Earning, Saving, Giving All One Can
- Opposition to Slavery