Yesterday my fellow Catholic Worker Susan visited our homeless friend Fred who was in the hospital. Recently Fred was riding his bicycle when a collision occurred between him and a tractor trailer truck.
In visiting Fred, who has been recovering from his injuries, Susan practices a work of mercy. She follows the church teaching that we should perform the works of mercy.
Catholics, and especially Catholic Workers, practice the works of mercy. There are seven corporal works of mercy, partly echoing the counsels of Jesus at the end of the twenty-fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. We are to feed persons who are hungry. We are called to give drink to those who are thirsty. We must shelter those who are homeless. We visit people who are sick as well as prisoners. We bury the dead. God calls us to give alms to impoverished individuals.
Jesus has told us that when we care for those who are sick, we tend to Him.* He has explained that when we do something to the least of those among us, we do it to Him.**
Fred, our homeless friend, living on the fringes of society, is one of the least of those among us. Jesus Our Lord is present in this vulnerable homeless man. When we comfort this impoverished man, we are making a gesture of kindness to Jesus.
When we love the needy person in front of us, we love Jesus. When we love our neighbor, we love God.
When the beggar before us is showing us gratitude, Jesus is thanking us. When the poverty-stricken individual feels relief due to our efforts, we have gently and lovingly touched the Body of Christ.
There in the hospital, Fred told Susan that he found it comforting to know that someone cares about him. He was grateful for her visit.
Susan gave the gift of her presence. She received the gift of his gratitude.
We love our neighbor when we visit our neighbor who is sick. We love our neighbor when we thank our neighbor who visits us when we are sick. When we express such love in these ways, we show the love we would want to receive if we were in the other person's position.
We are to love each other as ourselves.*** If we consider that we would want to receive a visit while in the hospital and be showered with love there, then we can see that we are called to visit the sick. Then we see that we are to go and do likewise.****
* Matthew 25:35-36
** Matthew 25:40
*** Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14
**** Luke 10:37
In visiting Fred, who has been recovering from his injuries, Susan practices a work of mercy. She follows the church teaching that we should perform the works of mercy.
Catholics, and especially Catholic Workers, practice the works of mercy. There are seven corporal works of mercy, partly echoing the counsels of Jesus at the end of the twenty-fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. We are to feed persons who are hungry. We are called to give drink to those who are thirsty. We must shelter those who are homeless. We visit people who are sick as well as prisoners. We bury the dead. God calls us to give alms to impoverished individuals.
Jesus has told us that when we care for those who are sick, we tend to Him.* He has explained that when we do something to the least of those among us, we do it to Him.**
Fred, our homeless friend, living on the fringes of society, is one of the least of those among us. Jesus Our Lord is present in this vulnerable homeless man. When we comfort this impoverished man, we are making a gesture of kindness to Jesus.
When we love the needy person in front of us, we love Jesus. When we love our neighbor, we love God.
When the beggar before us is showing us gratitude, Jesus is thanking us. When the poverty-stricken individual feels relief due to our efforts, we have gently and lovingly touched the Body of Christ.
There in the hospital, Fred told Susan that he found it comforting to know that someone cares about him. He was grateful for her visit.
Susan gave the gift of her presence. She received the gift of his gratitude.
We love our neighbor when we visit our neighbor who is sick. We love our neighbor when we thank our neighbor who visits us when we are sick. When we express such love in these ways, we show the love we would want to receive if we were in the other person's position.
We are to love each other as ourselves.*** If we consider that we would want to receive a visit while in the hospital and be showered with love there, then we can see that we are called to visit the sick. Then we see that we are to go and do likewise.****
* Matthew 25:35-36
** Matthew 25:40
*** Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14
**** Luke 10:37
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