Spiritual Works of Mercy

Most Christians want to live an active faith yet feel perplexed about how to do so. The seven interconnected “spiritual works of mercy” come to our aid: counseling the doubtful; comforting the ignorant; admonishing sinners; comforting the afflicted; forgiving offenses; bearing wrongs patiently; and praying for the living and the dead. Through such acts of mercy we can respond fully to God’s goodness towards us, involving conversion of our interior life: such acts are truly God’s acts of mercy; we become mere human agents for God to alleviate people’s unhappiness.