How Can YOU Be "Merciful Like the Father"?

"It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty."
~ Misericordiae Vultus

Pope Francis asked that we rededicate ourselves to the works of mercy. He explains that the mission of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy is to "serve, accompany and defend." As you navigate the calendar, you will see brief sections on serving, accompany and defending. Here's a word about each of those aspects:

SERVE: To serve means to welcome people with care. It means to bend down to one in need and to extend your hand, without reservations, without fear, and with the same tenderness and understanding that Jesus demonstrated as He bent down to wash the feet of the Apostles. To serve means to work alongside those most in need.  

ACCOMPANY: Hospitality in itself isn't enough. Giving a sandwich to someone who is hungry should open the door to a moment of encounter. Let us heed the call to journey alongside those who are vulnerable and suffering, as they learn to stand on their own two feet. 

DEFEND: Serving and accompanying also means taking the side of the weakest - from the poor to the unborn to the unemployed. Living out the works of mercy moves us to lift our voices and prayers on behalf of the voiceless. We can turn to Mary, the Mother of Mercy, who shows us what it means to truly serve, accompany and defend in perfect charity. 

LIVE: Serving, accompanying, and defending are meant to lead us into conversion.We are also called to reflect on all those ways that we have not shown mercy to others - whether in thought, word or deed. When we haven't been merciful - directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally - we are called to transform our lives. With God's grace, we can transform our lives. 

Mercy in the City: Doing God's Work at Ungodly Hours (2015 Tobin Lecture)
We are called to lives that incorporate prayer and service, and sometimes that means early mornings, late nights, or long hours. Kerry Weber explains how as a young woman she attempted to follow the Corporal Works of Mercy during Lent.

Watch online or contact the Office to borrow a DVD.