Each month families are sent from our Family Faith Formation class with a ‘Spiritual Exercise’ to practice and sharpen the skill discussed. Last month families were challenged to watch tv, look around at school, work, home, etc. and find examples of the acts of mercy being lived. Here is just some of what they witnessed for the Spiritual Works of Mercy!

Admonish the sinner
Spiderman convinced friends to join together to help others not do evil

Instruct the ignorant
Help others see the real person, like in Beauty and the Beast
I told my brother not to say a bad word
A girl at the park wanted to exclude my cousin and I said we should all play together

Counsel the doubtful
Brother made sister comfortable when she was shy
I helped a little girl swim across the pool
Invited a new student at school to sit with me at lunch

Comfort the sorrowful
We try to make time to visit aunt who is recently widowed

Forgive all injuries
Forgave brother when he called me a name
Cinderella forgave her step-sisters

Pray for the living and the dead
Having a mass said in someone’s memory
Youth prayer wall, Book of intentions, Prayer line

Bear wrongs patiently
Someone hurt me on the swings and they didn’t say sorry, I didn’t get mad
Didn’t get mad when neighbor’s dog used our yard
I tell my mom to be patient when she’s driving
During football game teammate gets injured by cheap shot and the team still shook hands on the field after the game
Cinderella did all she was asked and when treated badly she was gracious, kind and patient

During these last few weeks of the Year of Mercy, how are you inspired to be more merciful?

-Sue Levesque