"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." Matthew 9:37
As Christians we are called by God to be laborers for the faith through works of mercy. Every person that is suffering has Christ suffering in him or her and in serving the suffering we are serving God.
‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25 verses 35-40.
FAITH WITHOUT GOOD WORKS IS DEAD
James Chapter 2
"For just as a body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
James 2:26
"Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing." ~Saint Therese of Lisieux
"You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them." ~Saint Therese of Lisieux
"I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?" ~Mother Teresa in a 1974 interview
"A servant of God signifies one who has a great charity towards his neighbor and an inviolable resolution to follow in everything the Divine Will." ~Saint Francis de Sales
"Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God." ~Saint Catherine of Siena
"Charity is the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues." ~Saint Thomas Aquinas
CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY
{Charity to our neighbor's body}
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit those in prison
- Bury the dead
SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY
{Charity to our neighbor's soul}
- Convert the sinner
- Instruct the ignorant
- Counsel the doubtful
- Comfort the sorrowful
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive injuries
- Pray for the living and the dead
"We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion, which is truly the spirit of God." ~Saint Vincent de Paul
"Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us?" ~Saint Vincent de Paul
A PRAYER FOR SELFLESSNESS
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, teach me to be generous, to serve Thee as Thou does deserve, to give without counting the cost, to fight without fretting at my wounds, to labor without seeking rest, to spend myself without looking for any reward other than that of knowing that I do Thy holy will. Amen.
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
Heavenly Father, Lord of the harvest,
call many members of our community to be generous workers for Your people and to gather in Your harvest. Send them to share the good news of Jesus with all the people on earth.
Father, we ask this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A QUOTE FROM SAINT AUGUSTINE
"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men."
"That is what love looks like."
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7
