Works of Mercy allow us to extend God’s compassion and mercy to those in need. Through the Corporal Works of Mercy we can help our neighbors with their material and physical needs. While many of the ways we can help involve adults and their time, talent and resources, children can help out in their own small ways, too.
In a discussion with the class we have talked about ways that we could help others by themselves, ways they could work with their parents to help others and ways we could work together as a class to help others. We tried to get the children to think beyond just the words – for example, visiting the imprisoned can be more than just visiting people in jail. Who else in our community is imprisoned? Who else can’t get around because of illness, injury, age, lack of means, and so on?
“Give alms to the poor” is also sometimes included on this list, though it is not one of the seven listed on our form. Donating money to organizations that can help provide services and support would be something you could list for each of the other works of mercy.
