THEN SHALL your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am.
IF YOU take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. [Isa 58:6-10]
Corporal Works of Mercy
1. Feed the hungry.
2. Give cold water to the thirsty.
3. Shelter the homeless.
4. Clothe the naked.
5. Visit the sick.
6. Visit the imprisoned.
7. Bury the dead reverently.
THEN THE King will say to those at his right hand, "Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me."
THEN THE righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?" And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." [Mt 25:34-40]
Spiritual Works of Mercy
1. Admonish the sinner.
2. Instruct the ignorant.
3. Counsel the doubtful.
4. Comfort the sorrowful.
5. Bear wrongs patiently.
6. Forgive all injuries.
7. Pray for the living and the dead.
LET HIM know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. [Jam 5:20]
GIVE INSTRUCTION to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. [Pro 9:9-10]
AND CONVINCE some, who doubt; save some, by snatching them out of the fire; on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. [Jude 1:20-23]
BE NOT wanting in comforting them that weep: and walk with them that mourn. [Sir 7:38; Douay-Rheims 1941]
PUT ON then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other. [Col 3:12-13]
"BUT I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. [Lk 6:27-28]
TO THIS end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by his power. [2Thess 1:11]
IT IS therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins. [2Mach 12:46; Douay-Rheims, 1941]
