The
Works of MercyMercy is broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.The concept of a "Merciful God" appears in various religions from Christianity to...
or
Acts of Mercy are actions and practices which
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in general, and the Methodist Church,
Roman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and the
Eastern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
in particular, consider expectations to be fulfilled by believers, and are a
means of graceThe Means of Grace in Christian theology are those things through which God gives grace. Just what this grace entails is interpreted in various ways: generally speaking, some see it as God blessing humankind so as to sustain and empower the Christian life; others see it as forgiveness, life, and...
, which aid in
sanctificationSanctity is an ancient concept widespread among religions, a property of a thing or person sacred or set apart within the religion, from totem poles through temple vessels to days of the week, to a human believer who achieves this state. Sanctification is the act or process of acquiring sanctity,...
.
The Works of Mercy have been traditionally divided into two categories, with seven elements each: the
Corporal Works of Mercy, which concern the material needs of others, and the
Spiritual Works of Mercy.
These concepts (e.g. feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless) have existed in many Christian Churches including Roman Catholicism,
Orthodox ChristianityThe Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
,
LutheranismLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
, and the
Anglican CommunionThe Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
.
Beginning in the 20th century, the Roman Catholic tradition saw an extension of the framework for the traditional Works of Mercy with the establishment of the devotion to
Divine MercyThe Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion to the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it...
and
encyclicalAn encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
s such as
Dives in MisericordiaDives in Misericordia is the name of the second encyclical written by Pope John Paul II. It is a deeply theological examination of the role of mercy — both God's mercy, and also the need for human mercy — introducing the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son as a central theme...
.
Biblical basis
These works, it is believed, express
mercyMercy is broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.The concept of a "Merciful God" appears in various religions from Christianity to...
, and are thus expected to be performed by believers insofar as they are able, in accordance with the Beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Gospel of Matthew 5:7).
These acts are to keep the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:35-40):
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him: "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind'. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Corporal works of mercy
Corporal Works of Mercy are those that tend to bodily needs. In (Matthew 25:31-46, in the
The Judgment of NationsThe Sheep and the Goats or "The Judgment of the Nations" was a discourse of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. It is sometimes characterized as a parable, although unlike most parables it does not purport to relate a story of events happening to other characters.One explanation is that it tells...
six specific Works of Mercy are enumerated, although not this precise list — as the reason for the salvation of the saved, and the omission of them as the reason for damnation. The last work of mercy, burying the dead, comes from the
Book of TobitThe Book of Tobit is a book of scripture that is part of the Catholic and Orthodox biblical canon, pronounced canonical by the Council of Carthage of 397 and confirmed for Roman Catholics by the Council of Trent...
.
- To feed the hungry
- To give drink to the thirsty.
- To shelter the homeless.
- To clothe the naked.
- To visit and ransom the captive, (prisoners).
- To visit the sick.
- To bury the dead.
Spiritual works of mercy
Not everyone is considered capable or obligated to perform the first three spiritual works of mercy if they do not have proper tact, knowledge or training to do so. The last four are considered to be the obligation of all people without condition.
- Instruct the uninformed
- Counsel the doubtful;
- Admonish sinners;
- Bear wrongs patiently;
- Forgive offenses willingly;
- Comfort the afflicted;
- Pray for the living, the sick and the dead.
Divine Mercy
In the 20th century, there was new focus on mercy in the Roman Catholic Church, partly due to the
Divine MercyThe Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion to the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it...
devotion , due to Saint
Mary Faustina KowalskaMaria Faustina Kowalska, commonly known as Saint Faustina, born Helenka Kowalska was a Polish nun, mystic and visionary...
(1905–1938), who is known as the
Apostle of Mercy, which is followed by over 100 million Catholics.
In the Divine Mercy devotion one lets the love and mercy of God flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it.
In
Diary: Divine Mercy in My SoulDiary: Divine Mercy in My Soul is a book by Roman Catholic saint Faustina Kowalska. The book is based on the contents of her diary from 1934 until her death in 1938....
(Notebook II, item 742) Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:
"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me." and that he explained that there are three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first-by deed, the second-by word, the third-by prayer.
Pope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
was a follower of the Divine Mercy devotion, and canonized Faustina. In his encyclical
Dives in MisericordiaDives in Misericordia is the name of the second encyclical written by Pope John Paul II. It is a deeply theological examination of the role of mercy — both God's mercy, and also the need for human mercy — introducing the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son as a central theme...
he examined not only God's mercy, but also the need for human mercy.
Methodism
Works of mercy, are a
prudential-Companies:* Prudential plc, a United Kingdom-based financial services company* Prudential Financial, a United States-based financial products and services company** Prudential Securities, financial services arm of Prudential Financial-Buildings:...
means of grace. Along with
Works of PietyWorks of Piety, in Methodism, are certain spiritual disciplines that along with the Works of Mercy, serve as a means of grace, and are necessary for Christian perfection. All Methodist Christians, including the laity and the ordained, are expected to employ them...
, they are necessary for the believer to move onto
Christian perfectionChristian perfection, also known as perfect love; heart purity; the baptism of the Holy Spirit; the fullness of the blessing; Christian holiness; the second blessing; and entire sanctification, is a Christian doctrine which holds that the heart of the regenerant Christian may attain a state of...
. In this sense, the Methodist concern for people at the margins is closely related to its
worshipIn Christianity, worship is adoration and contemplation of God.-Overview:Throughout most of Christianity's history, corporate Christian worship has been primarily liturgical, characterized by prayers and hymns, with texts rooted in, or closely related to, the Scripture, particularly the Psalter;...
. As such, these beliefs have helped create the emphasis of the
social gospelThe Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the early 20th century United States and Canada...
in the Methodist Church.
- Doing Good
- Visiting the Sick and Prisoners
- Feeding and Clothing People
- Earning, Saving, Giving All One Can
- Opposition to Slavery
Nature of the obligation
The actual obligation in a given case depends largely on the degree of distress to be aided, and the capacity or condition of the one whose duty in the matter is in question. There are easily recognizable limits as the performance of the corporal works of mercy is concerned.
Likewise the law imposing spiritual works of mercy is subject in individual instances to important reservations.
See also
- Works of Piety
Works of Piety, in Methodism, are certain spiritual disciplines that along with the Works of Mercy, serve as a means of grace, and are necessary for Christian perfection. All Methodist Christians, including the laity and the ordained, are expected to employ them...
- Fathers of Mercy
The Fathers of Mercy is a Catholic religious order of missionary priests, founded by the Very Rev. Jean-Baptiste Rauzan in early 19th century France.-Foundation:...
- Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a global aid agency engaged in transitional environments that have experienced some sort of shock: natural disaster, economic collapse, or conflict. People working for it move as quickly as possible from bringing in food and supplies to enabling people to rebuild their economy with...
- Our Lady of Mercy
The Royal, Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives also known as Our Lady of Ransom is a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1218 by St...
- Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
External links