T H E W O R K S O F M E R C Y

This corporal work of mercy is a little difficult to understand in

Canada. We have a well developed

social network. If someone has no family or means to be buried, once

they have died, the state will pick up the tab. There is very little danger

than any would just be disposed of

with no respect for their human remains.

We must put ourselves back into

the third and fourth century (where the list of corporal works began to

be outlined). There were instances where a brutal disease would bring

down almost all the population of a village. There was no one to bury

the bodies of the dead. Or there

were instances of war where the victims (often the civilians) were left

exposed for the birds and insects to dispose of. In this context you can

see why this is a work of mercy.

No. 7 - To bury the dead

THIS BULLETING HAS THE LAST CORPORAL WORK OF MERCY AND BEGINS THE SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY.

SUPPORT A GRIEVEING FAMILY WALK WITH A DYING FRIEND RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF EACH HUMAN LIFE

CORPORAL WORKS

Share the process of dying At both ends of life we have hands to help us. All cultures have midwives, that is those wonderful women who helped the mother give birth and helped her to care for her child. At the other end of life we have people who will help the dying and prepare the body for burial.

The practice of cremation is very recent in our culture. The normal practice was to have family and friends prepare the body, say the prayers and then bury it in the earth. This was clearly ‘dust to dust.’

We have laws and institutions who look after the burial of the dead. But as we are considering this seventh corporal work of mercy we should extend it to care for the dying. In our history most people grew up with the experience of dying. They were often children when one of their grandparents died in their home (the grandparents often lived with the family). Dying was an integral part of growing up.

Today dying has moved to the hospital ( an institution and distant from our daily experience). Practicing this corporal work of mercy moves us to care for the dying. With our medical care dying is often a long, drawn out process. We do not spend a few days with pneumonia and then we die. Rather, we may spend many, many months in the ‘dying mode.’

In this culture we must learn again the care and compassion that we need to bring to the final days of our loved ones. Once again we must teach family and friends to recognize the great gift they can be to the dying person.

WALK WITH THE DYING

THERE NEVER IS ONE SINGLE, DYING PERSON. IT IS ALWAYS AN ENTIRE FAMILY THAT JOURNEYS WITH THE DYING MEMBER. EACH PERSON OF THAT RELATIONSHIP HAS FEELINGS, FEARS, HESTITATION AND REGRETS. EACH PERSON IS PART OF THIS JOURNEY. BE ATTENTIVE TO EACH PERSON WHO SHARES IN THE DYING PROCESS. LISTEN TO THEIR DEEP FEELINGS.

WALK WITH THE DYING

ALWAYS HEAR THE REGRETS OF THE PERSON WHO IS DYING. THERE MAY BE A FAMILY EVENT THAT THEY ABSENTED THEMSELVES FROM MANY YEARS AGO. THEY MAY NOT HAVE TAKEN TIME OFF FROM WORK WHEN THEIR THIRTY YEAR OLD SON WAS SERIOUSLY ILL. THE REGRETS OF ‘NOT LIVIING’ ARE PART OF THE JOURNEY TO THE END. BE PATIENT. BE A LISTENER.

WALK WITH THE DYING

PART OF THE PROCESS OF DYING AND THE TIME OF GRIEF IS TO SHARE THE STORIES. EVERY RELATIONSHIP IS FILLED WITH MOMENTS OF JOY AND LAUGHTER, BUT ALSO SORROW AND REGREAT. BE A GOOD LISTENER. HEAR THE SURVIVOR AS THEY SHARE THEIR MEMORIES WHEN GRANDMA AND GRANDPA TOOK THE TEENAGE GRANDCHILDREN ON A FISHING EXPEDITION.

No 1 —-To admonish the sinner We live in a culture that

just bristles when you say “admonish the sinner.” How judgmental? How dare you correct someone else? Immediately people are accusing you our meddling in other peoples’ lives.

But we all admonish one another in clear but subtle ways. When you drive into the parking lot of the large pharmacy and you pick up some of the garbage that people have dropped on the road you are giving correction. “You are careless and dirty. I

will be responsible and pick up your old wrappers.”

Animal lovers are admonishing fellow citizens all the time. Their strong emotional reaction to a neglected dog is meant to shame other fellow citizens.

The look of disapproval on your face when your sister, who neglects visiting and caring for your aged mother with dementia, walks into your mother’s room is a clear admonishment. She is not pulling her fair share of the load! There are no words but

the message is clear. The wrinkles on your brow leave no doubt what is meant here!

There are no shortage of admonishments. Consider all the admonishments that are given in the media. Who is that fellow from Newfoundland who can wax so eloquently with loads of big words? Are not most of his pieces admonishment to government officials?

We need to recognize how we too participate in admonishments in this society.

We now begin the seven spiritual works of mercy. This list was developed when people made a strong seperation between physical and spiritual. Human beings are actually one but the lists still serve a useful purpose. Use the remainder of this bulletin to deepen what it means to be merciful.

SPIRITUAL WORKSW

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May my good actions….

Lord, people do not listen to words but rather they accept witnesses. They can see through anyone’s empy words. Actions count!

May my children see the countless hours that I have given to my ailing mother-in-law. There were so many days when I found it hard to get motivated and spend time with her in the home. But may my actions help them to be

motivated to care for the failing members of their own families.

Thank you, Lord, that my husband is so upset with his older brother who will not help anyone else unless he gets paid for it! My husband’s family was never brought up like this but I can read the goodness in his heart when he laments about his selfish brother who will not get up off his butt! In the negativity of my husbands’s grumbling there is great love for others.

I hope I am admonished when…….

Nothing will keep you so humble as to actually know yourself. If we could see ourselves as others have to put up with us, we would become very humble indeed. We may be a well organized and dynamic person but we can be very hard on other people who have a more difficult time to keep organized and focused. Such people experience us as very hard, and at times, mean spirited. We are too demanding beyond their capabilities.

Lord, when I slid into a season of laziness and try to avoid helping my brother-in-law during his cancer treatments, send someone that will move me to want to reach out and help. Send someone into my life who has gone through the cancer treatments and is now living in cancer remission. When I want to sit down and avoid the issue, send someone to eject my laziness.

When I move into a space so I do not have to understand new Canadians who are different from us long settled Canadians, send some joyful teenager that will show me

how to accept people who are different from us. A teenage is non-threatening to us older folk, but they can have a very powerful impact on my stubborn resistance to anyone who is different. A teenager can be so accepting of others. May this teenager bring discomfort to my rigid attitude towards anyone who is different from myself.

There have been two occasions at work where two of my co-workers have been more than negative about

the honest efforts of another employee. They are like ravens in the wintertime, flying around looking at something to pick at. They pull people apart. Send someone to give me the courage to speak up in defense of the victim in this discussion.

I need help to turn away from all sinful attitudes. Send people in my path to help me move in the right direction.

We

sinn

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need

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t Jesus, you know how I

get my back up whenever anyone tries to tell me that I am going in the wrong direction. Fill my world with people who nudge me on the right track, who lift my vision to see your truth and who prod my heart

to greater movements of love and compassion.

Lord, if I get lazy helping others, push me forward. Send a generous person to admonish me to care for the hurting of this world.