Spiritual Acts of Mercy

While we seek the material well-being of others through corporal acts of mercy, we also look after their spiritual, mental, and emotional wellness through Spiritual Acts of Mercy. While the corporal acts of mercy aim to support a person’s physical body, the spiritual acts of mercy aim to support the person’s soul. While there are seven corporal acts, there are also seven spiritual acts of mercy. All acts of mercy are based on Christian compassion and charity.

The spiritual acts of mercy are:

1. Instructing those who don’t know - by sharing what we know about the fall of man, God’s promise of redemption, God’s salvation work through Israel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, the foundation and teachings of the Catholic Church. This kind of nformation is needed for Christians to correctly understand, evaluate, and decide on the things they live through.

2. Counseling the Doubtful - helping those who are struggling with moral decisions to discern Jesus’ guidance, who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”.  Counseling the doubtful aims to alleviate the spiritual burden of uncertainty through prayer and compassion to align the person’s choice with his eternal goals. 

3. Admonishing the sinner - gently making him aware of the stench of breaking moral laws, and reminding him to do the right things. This needs to be done gently, with humble awareness of one’s own sinfulness. In a culture of permissiveness, this requires a refusal to turn a blind eye to behavior that harms the doer and others.

4. Comforting the sorrowful - Offering presence, sympathy, and encouragement to those who are suffering or grieving through active, non-judgmental listening. Some people mask their grief - Christians need to see through this.

5. Bearing wrongs patiently - “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind,” Mahatma Gandhi said. Refusing to repay violence with more more violence does not mean staying silent in the face of injustice; it means taking on Christ’s compassion when he asked God to forgive those who crucified Him, refusing to let bitterness control one’s response.

6. "Forgiving all injuries" calls for intentionally letting go of grudges and the desire for retribution. It breaks the cycle of hatred, setting the offender free and healing the forgiver. It reminds us that we have been taught to pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

7. "Praying for the living and the dead" - asking for grace, guidance, mercy, and protection for the living, and repose of souls in purgatory - brings spiritual benefits to others through intercessory prayer. Some of the Biblical basis for praying for the dead is in the books of the Maccabees, and Paul’s prayer for Onesiphorus, a follower who had passed away.

Seeking the good of others through the acts of spiritual mercy helps to make one’s connection with God stronger than the strongest fiber, more enduring than a diamond, sweeter than Talin (the sweetest naturally-occurring substance), and gentler than talc. As said before, it benefits both the beneficiary and the giver.

What spiritual acts of mercy do the people around you need?