Study Guide The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
Introduction
The“greatriverofmercy,”asPopeFranciscallsitinMisericordiaVultus,his
introductiontotheJubileeYearofMercy,“neverrunsdry”becausetherearealways
thosewhoarewillingtoperformactsofmercyintheireverydaylives.InThe
CorporalandSpiritualWorksofMercy,oneoftheofficialcatecheticaltextsforthe
YearofMercy,theconceptofmercyasrevealedinboththeOldandNewTestament
isexplored.Thedevelopmentoftheologybehindworksofmercy,asexpressedby
theearlyChurchfathers,isalsoexaminedasabaseforin‐depthreflectionsonthe
corporalandspiritualworksofmercy,theirroleinthelifeoftheChurchandinthe
livesofindividualbelievers.Weencourageyoutousethistextasawayoflivingout
PopeFrancis’scallto“becomestronginthefaithinJesusChrist.”
ReflectionQuestions:
1. Whichoftheworksofmercyistheeasiestforyoutodo?Whichisthe
hardest?
2. Jesussaidthatthewaywetreatotherswillbethestandardbywhichwe
ourselveswillbejudged(Mt25:31‐45).Ifyouweretobejudgedtoday,
whatwouldJesusfindinyourlife?Whatcanyoudotochange?
3. TheCatechismoftheCatholicChurchsaysthat“givingalmstothepooris
oneofthechiefwitnessestofraternalcharity.”Howmuchdoyougiveto
thepoor?Couldyougivemore,perhapsevenconsidertithing?
4. ThewordformercyinLatinismisericordia,fromthewordsformisery
andheart.Itmightbedefinedas“compassionwiththepitythatitentails
andfidelitywithloveasarequirement.”Howdoesthisdefinitionof
mercyfitwithyourownexperiencesofbothgivingandreceivingmercy?
5. Jesussaid,“Blessedarethemerciful,fortheyshallobtainmercy.”How
mercifulareyou?Couldyoubemoremerciful?
6. LookatsomeofthePsalmsthatpleaformercy.(Ps4:2;6:3;9:14;25:16;
51:1).Usetheseasthebasisforcreatingyourownprayerformercy.
ProcessActivity:
Readaloudthetwenty“goodworks”thatHermaslists(p.29).Discussinyourgroup
howtheserelatetothecorporalandspiritualworksofmercy.Howaretheysimilar?
Howdotheydiffer?Oneofthebiggestissuesfacingtheworldtodayisthemigrant
crisis.Oneoftheworksofmercyisto“welcomethestranger.”Howcanwebalance
welcomingstrangers(refugees)andprotectingourcountryfrominvasionand
harm?
Prayer:
MercifulGod,yourmercyisinexhaustible.Helpustoextendyourmercytothose
aroundusthroughthecorporalandspiritualactsofmercy.Maybealwaysbewilling
todothegoodthatisbeforeus.Helpusalwaystobewitnessesofyourmercyinour
wordsandinourdeeds.Maywepayspecialattentiontothosewhoarepooror
vulnerable,sickorlonely,ormarginalized.Andmaywealsoneverforgettobe
mercifulwithfamilymembersandotherswhoareclosesttous.Amen