1. Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish
Mercy
R.C.I.A.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish
October 18, 2015

2. MERCY
The disposition to be kind and forgiving. Founded on compassion, mercy differs from compassion or the feeling of sympathy in putting this feeling into practice with a readiness to assist. It is therefore the ready willingness to help anyone in need, especially in need of pardon or reconciliation.

3. MERCY
Mercy is love that feels compassion for those who suffer (heart) and reaches out to help them (arms).
Father Michael Gaitley

4. What Are The Works of Mercy?
The Three Degrees of Mercy
This comes from the Divine Mercy message and devotion as revealed by St. Faustina Kowalska…
“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 od love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and prays reverence to My mercy.”

5. Corporal Works of Mercy
To feed the hungry
To give drink to the thirsty
To clothe the naked
To visit and ransom the captives
To shelter the homeless
To visit the sick
To bury the dead

6. The Traditional Approach
Spiritual Works of Mercy
To admonish the sinners
To instruct the ignorant
To counsel the doubtful
To comfort the sorrowful
To bear wrongs patiently
To forgive all injuries
To pray for the living and the dead

7. The Five Categories of the Scriptural Approach Or
High School Ninjas Stab Porcupines
High = Hungry, as in “feed the hungry”
School = Stranger, as in “welcome the stranger”
Ninjas = Naked, as in “clothe the naked”
Stab = Sick, as in “comfort the sick”
Porcupines = Prison, as in “visit those in prison”

8. Hungry
The first Scriptural category involves only the corporal works of mercy.
Feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty.
Stranger
The second Spiritual category cover two corporal works of mercy and two spiritual works of mercy.
Shelter the homeless
Bury the dead
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive offenses willingly
*remember to smile!
Naked
The third Scriptural category coves one corporal and three spiritual works of mercy.
Clothe the naked
Instruct the ignorant
Counsel the doubtful
Comfort the afflicted

9. Sick
The fourth Scriptural category covers one corporal work of mercy.
Comfort the sick
Prison
The last Scriptural category covers one corporal and two spiritual works of mercy.
Visit the imprisoned
Admonish sinners
Pray for the living and the dead

11. Mercy Resources
Catholic Bible
Mercy Pages
Chaplet of Divine Mercy