The Second Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday.
Pope Francis’ Homily on 20th Anniversary of Divine Mercy Sunday (Full Text)
This Sunday is popularly known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Between 1930 and 1938 Christ appeared to Sister Faustina, a Sister of Mercy in Poland who initiated the Divine Mercy devotion. She was canonized on April 30, 2000, the Sunday after Easter, the Feast of Divine Mercy. On Good Friday, 1937, Jesus requested that Blessed Faustina make a special novena before the Feast of Mercy, from Good Friday through the following Saturday. Jesus also asked that a picture be painted according to the vision of Himself as the fountain of mercy. He gave her a chaplet to be recited and said that it was appropriate to pray the chaplet at three o’clock each afternoon (the Hour of Great Mercy). Catholic Culture
Explanation of the Divine Mercy painting
What is Mercy?
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.
Catholic Culture
Ukrainian Eparchy of Winnipeg
The Works of Mercy
The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are oriented toward the soul. Though ideally applicable for all faithful, not everyone is considered capable or obligated to perform the first three Spiritual Works of Mercy be- fore they possess the proper tact, knowledge or canonical training to do so. The remaining four Spiritual Works of Mercy are considered to be an obligation of all faithful to practice unconditionally.
The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy and their Holy Scripture references are:
| Admonish the Sinner | Proverbs 27:17 Luke 15:7; 17:3 2 Timothy 4:2 |
| Instruct the Ignorant | Matthew 28:19-20 Mark 16:14-18 Luke 24:47-49 John 20:21 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 4:1-5 |
| Counsel the Doubtful | Matthew 13:18-23 Mark 4:13-20; 9:14-29 Luke 8:11-15 John 14:27 |
| Bear Wrongs Patiently | Matthew 5:38-48 Luke 6:27-36 1 Peter 2:18-19 |
| Forgive Offenses Willingly | Matthew 6:14-15; 18:15-35 Mark 11:25 Luke 11:1-4; 17:1-4 |
| Comfort the Afflicted | Psalms 9:8-11; 22:23-27, Psalms 27:4-5; 30:2-4, Psalms 46:2; 55:22, Psalms 56; 71:20-22, Psalms 116; 119:49-50 Jeremiah 29:11-14 Lamentations 3:21-24, 31-33 Nahum 1:7-8 Matthew 11:28-30 John 14:15-18, 27; 16:22-23 2 Corinthians 5:17 1 Peter 5:5-11 Revelation 21:4 |
| Pray for the Living and the Dead | 2 Maccabees 38-46 |
The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy
The Corporal Works of Mercy are oriented toward the body. Six of the seven are mentioned in Matthew 25:31-40 — although not precisely — as the reason for the salvation of the saved, while Matthew 25:41-46 exhorts the omission of them as the reason for damnation. As deprivation of burial was viewed with horror by the Jews, the seventh Corporal Work of Mercy (Tobit 1:17-19) was later added.
The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy and their Holy Scripture references are:
| Feed the Hungry | Proverbs 22:9 Isaiah 58:10 2 Kings 4:42-44 Matthew 14:15-21; 25:35 Luke 3:11; 9:12-17 John 6:35 |
| Give Drink to the Thirsty | Isaiah 55:1 Matthew 25:35 John 6:35 John 7:37-39 Revelation 21:6; 22:17 |
| Clothe the Naked | Matthew 25:36 |
| Shelter the Homeless | Matthew 25:35 |
| Visit the Sick | Matthew 25:36 |
| Visit the Imprisoned | Matthew 25:36 |
| Bury the Dead | Tobit 1:17-19 |
Source: Diocese of Fort Worth, Indiana
In 2016, Pope Francis declared Care for Creation a Work of Mercy https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-declares-care-for-creation-a-new-work-of-mercy-72269
The Works of Mercy by the Master of Alkmaar made for the Church of Saint Lawrence in Alkmaar, Netherlands. The wooden panels show the works of mercy in this order: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, bury the dead, shelter the traveler, comfort the sick, and free the imprisoned. Circa 1504. Source:Wikimedia Commons For more artistic representations go to Wikimedia Commons.
The Canadian Bishops Office for Evangelization and Catechesis have produced two resources to help teach the Corporal Works of Mercy http://www.cccb.ca/site/eng/office-for-evangelization-and-catechesis/4355-corporal-works-of-mercy
The Eight Works of Mercy by Anna Rowlands & Robert Czerny (Thinking Faith) ‘In today’s world, hunger, violence and poverty cannot be understood apart from the changes and degradation affecting the environment.’ Pope Francis’ recognition of this led him to introduce an eighth work of mercy in 2016: ‘care for our common home’. Anna Rowlands and Robert Czerny survey the long and living tradition in which this new work of mercy stands.
Archdiocese of Toronto Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
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