When I was young I thought the works of mercy, corporal and spiritual, were good but did not lead to real change. As I grew up I began to understand, mostly from the Catholic Worker Movement, there was no conflict between works of mercy and working for systematic change. Now I am older and beginning to think the works of mercy are it and lead to revolutionary change.

The The National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul on its website says “End Poverty Through Systematic Change.” This seems like a contradiction since the mission of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) is to “person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering”. How does works of mercy lead to systematic change?

In Matthew 25 of the Gospel in the Judgment of Nations Parable the King (God) at the last judgment says: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Many take that statement about doing the corporal works of mercy as a statement about an individual doing the works of mercy. However, if you study the scriptures you can see the parable is about the judgment of nations or groups of persons. There was no sense of individualism in the culture of Jesus’ time. Everyone belonged to a group or nation.

Taking that understanding you see how if a group like St. Vincent de Paul or a nation, like USA, would adopt the works of mercy, corporal or spiritual, as a standard of living the Way of Jesus, the Gospel, it would lead to a revolutionary change.

Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker, used to say that if everyone was open to taking in a homeless person in their household, an act of mercy, there would be no homelessness. All we really need to do for revolutionary change, on an individual, group or national level is to practice the works of mercy. A list of Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy are below.

Corporal Works of Mercy

Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Visit the imprisoned
Bury the dead

Spiritual Works of Mercy

Admonish the sinner
Instruct the ignorant
Counsel the doubtful
Comfort the sorrowful
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive all injuries
Pray for the living and the dead

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