For the Year of Mercy

People complain about “mercy” being a very vague thing to have a Jubilee Year about.  I’ve never particularly liked Catholicism’s fondness for lists (deadly sins, gifts of the Holy Spirit,…), but in this case it’s actually useful.  If you want to know what is the content of mercy, you can’t do better than look at the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.  Here’s my little contribution to His Holiness’ efforts.

Corporal:

• To feed the hungry;
• To give drink to the thirsty;
• To clothe the naked;
• To harbour the harbourless;
• To visit the sick;
• To ransom the captive;
• To bury the dead.

Spiritual:

• To instruct the ignorant;
• To counsel the doubtful;
• To admonish sinners;
• To bear wrongs patiently;
• To forgive offences willingly;
• To comfort the afflicted;
• To pray for the living and the dead.

So there you go.  That’s what we should get to work on.