Acts of Mercy
(Also called the Works of Mercy)
INTRODUCTION
TO ACTS OF MERCY
Acts of Mercy are the concrete ways we live the commandment of love and imitate Jesus Christ, who “came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). They are drawn directly from Sacred Scripture—especially the solemn teaching of Our Lord in the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-46—and are presented as the standard by which we will be judged at the end of time: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (§2447 quoted below) teaches that these acts are “charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.”
They are divided into two traditional groups of seven:
Corporal Works of Mercy (responding to the bodily needs)
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit the imprisoned
- Bury the dead
(These works of mercy can be offered as suffrage for souls in purgatory)
Spiritual Works of Mercy (responding to the needs of the soul)
- Instruct the ignorant
- Counsel the doubtful
- Admonish sinners
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive offenses willingly
- Comfort the afflicted
- Pray for the living and the dead
Practicing the Acts of Mercy is not optional, it is an essential expression of the Gospel and a sure path to holiness. As the Church has always taught, “The works of mercy are the visible sign of the invisible love of God at work in us” (cf. CCC §§2447–2449).
May this page help you discover how to live these works more fully in your daily life—for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
From the Bible
(2 Maccabees 12:38-46)
Thereupon Judas rallied his forces and advanced to the town of Adullam. Inasmuch as the seventh day of the week was at hand, they purified themselves according to custom and kept the Sabbath there.
On the following day, since the need had now become urgent, Judas and his men went to collect the bodies of those who had fallen and to bury them with their kindred in their ancestral tombs. However, under the tunic of each of the dead, they found amulets that were sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. Thus, it was clear to everyone that this was the reason that these men had been slain.
And so, they all praised the acts of the Lord, the just judge who reveals things that are hidden, and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be completely blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, since they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as a result of the sin of those who had fallen.
Then he took up a collection from all of his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this, he acted in a suitable and honorable way, guided by his belief in the resurrection. For if he had not expected those who had fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. However, if he was focusing on the splendid reward reserved for those whose death was marked by godliness, his thought was holy and devout. Therefore, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead so that they might be delivered from their sin.
(Luke 6 6:27-36)
“But to those of you who are listening to me, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone strikes you on one cheek, offer him the other cheek as well, and should someone take your cloak, let him have your tunic as well. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not demand the return of what is yours from the one who has taken it.
“Deal with others as you would like them to deal with you. If you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do as much. And if you lend only to those from whom you expect to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.
“Rather, you must love your enemies and do good to them and lend without expecting any repayment. In this way, you will receive a great reward. You will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church
(CCC §2447)
The acts of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities (cf. Isaiah 58:6-7; Hebrews 13:3). Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God (cf. Tobit 4:5-11; Sirach 17:22; Matthew 6:2-4).
He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none and he who has food must do likewise (Luke 3:11). But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you (Luke 11:41). If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? (James 2:15-16; cf. 1 John 3:17)
From St Faustina Diary
(Diary #742)
“I demand from you acts of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy”.
(Diary #1317)
“Many souls … are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out acts of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul. If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy”.