The
Corporal Works
of Mommy
(and Daddy Too!)
The
Corporal Works
of Mommy
(and Daddy Too!)
– Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak –
Our Sunday Visitor
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February 20, 2016
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Table of Contents
Living the Little Way of the Family
Chapter One
Introduction
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Mt 5:6). As Pope Francis has reminded us, mercy is a defining virtue of the Christian walk. What does it mean to be merciful? And what difference does it make in the life of your family?
If you consider both the corporal works of mercy — for example, give food to the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, etc. — and the spiritual works of mercy altogether, it becomes clear that “being merciful” means treating others in a manner that allows them to see their profound worth in God’s eyes. Is there a more important, or more opportune, place to practice this than in the heart of your family’s home?
Each Person Is Sacred
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops once asserted that each person “must be respected with a reverence that is religious. When we deal with each other, we should do so with the sense of awe that arises in the presence of something holy and sacred. For that is what human beings are: we are created in the image of God” (Economic Justice for All, 28).
When we show mercy to others — especially by living out the various works of mercy —