When Catholics hear about the works of mercy, they may think first of feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, or clothing the naked. These corporal works of mercy address the physical needs of others, but the Church also teaches that people have spiritual needs that also must be addressed.<\/p>\n
The seven spiritual works of mercy include: admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive injuries, and pray for the living and the dead.<\/p>\n
Few modern Catholic voices spoke about these realities as plainly \u2014 and as humorously \u2014 as Mother Angelica, the foundress of EWTN. Through her long-running television program \u201cMother Angelica Live,\u201d she encouraged Catholics to live the Gospel in ordinary life.<\/p>\n
Her words offer practical insight into how we can live these works of mercy today:<\/p>\n
To admonish the sinner means to help someone recognize sin and turn back to God. This work of mercy must always be done with humility and charity, never with condemnation.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica often reminded viewers that conversion is rooted in God\u2019s mercy: \u201cGod always forgives when you are totally repentant and you desire to change. He forgives\u2026 and he never gets tired of forgiving. Never.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because of God\u2019s endless mercy, we should never hesitate to encourage someone to return to him and help them encounter God\u2019s love, which leads to repentance.<\/p>\n
To instruct the ignorant is to teach the truths of the faith to those who do not know them. This can happen in classrooms, parishes, homes, and everyday conversations.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica frequently reminded her audience that every person has a deep spiritual hunger: \u201cEveryone hungers for God. Everyone needs the Lord. A tremendous amount of people don\u2019t know they need God \u2014 they go every direction possible, and everywhere they go, they still feel that vacuum, that hunger for God.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teaching the faith \u2014 whether to children, friends, or fellow parishioners \u2014 is therefore an act of mercy. It helps fill the spiritual hunger that only God can satisfy.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica also emphasized that instruction begins in the home.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot bring Christ to my neighbor and to the world if I have not first given him to my family,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Many people struggle with doubt \u2014 about faith, about moral decisions, or about their place in God\u2019s plan. To counsel the doubtful means offering guidance, wisdom, and encouragement.<\/p>\n
When we counsel someone who is uncertain or searching, we remind them that God has a purpose for his or her life and desires that person\u2019s holiness.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica often spoke about the unique vocation and plan God gives to every person.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod has designed for each one of us a certain degree of holiness. Each one. It\u2019s as if no one else existed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Suffering touches every human life \u2014 through grief, illness, disappointment, or loneliness. Comforting the sorrowful means being present to those who suffer and reminding them that Christ is with them.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica spoke openly about suffering from her own experience of illness and hardship.<\/p>\n
She once said: \u201cSometimes my worst day \u2014 one filled with pain and suffering \u2014 in the eyes of God is my best day if I\u2019ve borne it cheerfully and with love.\u201d<\/p>\n
By helping others unite their suffering with Christ, we offer a consolation deeper than words. Sometimes the greatest comfort we can give is simply our presence and our prayer.<\/p>\n
This spiritual work of mercy calls us to endure offenses, inconveniences, and injustices without bitterness.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica once explained that our trials can become opportunities for holiness: \u201cJesus is giving you such an opportunity to be holy, holier than all the saints that have ever been, because the world is in such need of shining lives, beacons to see by,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Responding to difficulties with patience rather than anger allows Christ\u2019s light to shine through us.<\/p>\n
Forgiveness is perhaps the most challenging spiritual work of mercy. When someone hurts us deeply, resentment can take root in our hearts, but the Gospel calls us to forgive as God forgives us.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica spoke frequently about the need to forgive others.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to forgive instantly. That\u2019s what the Lord did,\u201d she once said.<\/p>\n
On another occasion she said: \u201cYou can\u2019t go to heaven hating somebody. Forgive now. Be compassionate now. Be grateful now. Love Jesus and Mary now. Accept God\u2019s will now.\u201d<\/p>\n
When we forgive others \u2014 even when it is difficult \u2014 we imitate the mercy of Christ.<\/p>\n
The final spiritual work of mercy is praying for the living and the dead. Interceding for others puts their needs before God and entrusts them to his mercy.<\/p>\n
Mother Angelica often reminded viewers that prayer is not about trying to manipulate God but about giving ourselves to him: \u201cGod is not a slot machine. We don\u2019t go to God to get something; we go to give something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through prayer we offer our love, our trust, and our concern for others. The Church especially encourages prayers for the dead, asking God to bring them into the fullness of eternal life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Catholics hear about the works of mercy, they may think first of feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, or clothing the naked. These corporal works of mercy address the physical needs of others, but the Church also teaches that people have spiritual needs that also must be addressed. The seven spiritual works of mercy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":41476,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"bron":[41],"class_list":["post-41475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nieuws","bron-cna"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls":{"medium":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/41475-a-look-at-the-spiritual-works-of-mercy-through-the-eyes-of-mother-angelica-300x200.jpg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/41475-a-look-at-the-spiritual-works-of-mercy-through-the-eyes-of-mother-angelica-150x150.jpg","echo_preview_image":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/41475-a-look-at-the-spiritual-works-of-mercy-through-the-eyes-of-mother-angelica-219x146.jpg"},"appp_media":null,"yoast_head":"\n