WHINY KAI: (sighs) The reception here is so bad
I can't even livestream these videos of baby goats.
DOWN-ON-HER-LUCK-LIBBY Oh I know, so inconvenient, right?
Millennials.
(cat screeching)
(upbeat music)
LIBBY: Welcome to Catholic Central, I'm Libby.
KAI: And I'm Kai.
Today we're talking about the corporal works of mercy.
LIBBY: Corporal comes from the Latin corpus,
meaning the body.
KAI: So, these are all the things you can do
to break out of selfishness
and love and serve other people.
LIBBY: Well, not all the ways.
KAI: OK, well these are some
of the ways the Church has identified
of meeting people's material or physical needs.
LIBBY: You might be thinking, other people, jeez, ooh.
Can't I just sit alone all day
and pray for people without having to talk to
or smell them?
KAI: Unfortunately, the answer is no.
LIBBY: And these works are considered obligatory,
and Jesus had some pretty strong words in Matthew 25
for people that didn't do that.
KAI: Then he will say to those on his left
depart from me, you accursed.
For I was hungry, and you gave me no food;
I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;
a stranger, and you gave me no welcome;
naked, and you gave me no clothing;
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.
LIBBY: Yikes. (pop)
And let's not forget James 2:17.
SURGEON KAI: I'm sorry to say it,
but because he didn't perform any works,
his faith is dead.
PATIENT'S FRIEND LIBBY: But he went to Mass every day.
(flatline tone)
(flatline tone) (crying)
KAI: As Pope Francis says in his book
The Name of God is Mercy,
"By welcoming a marginalized person whose body is wounded
and by welcoming the sinner whose soul is wounded,
we put our credibility as Christians on the line."
LIBBY: So, first off, feeding the hungry
and giving drink to the thirsty.
KAI: Good thing because I am starving.
Hey Libby, you got any extra mercy snacks
in your purse?
LIBBY: Unfortunately not,
and this doesn't just mean giving a spare granola bar
to someone who otherwise has more than enough.
KAI: It's important to seek out ways to serve those
that don't have enough to eat.
LIBBY: You can do this by donating to food pantries,
serving meals to the homeless,
or taking meals to new mothers
or families that have lost a loved one.
KAI: Also, Catholic bishops point out
that clean drinking water is a human right.
LIBBY: So we can work to bring water to communities in need
and be mindful of how much water we use.
KAI: Next up is clothing the naked.
OLD LADY SHOW: This is a family show.
KAI: That's literally the name for it.
OLD LADY KAI: Well, I suppose those are the people
who need clothes the most.
KAI: It doesn't just mean people
who aren't wearing any clothes.
It can be people that don't have enough warm clothes
for example.
LIBBY: To do this one you can donate your old clothes
to a charity,
or your new ones, I mean.
KAI: Why not? LIBBY: Yeah.
KAI: And look into buying clothes
that are produced ethically
for a fair wage under good working conditions.
LIBBY: Moving on to sheltering the homeless.
KAI: OK, so this one can apply
to building physical shelters for people without homes.
LIBBY: But it can also extend to organizations
that work with refugees and victims of domestic violence.
KAI: Or even reaching out to new people at school, work,
or in the community
and making them feel at home.
Next up, visiting the sick.
OLD LADY KAI: If only my grandkids would come visit me.
It would warm my poor
(coughs)
sick
(coughs) heart.
LIBBY: Not to make you feel super guilty
or anything but visiting can be a great help
to the person who is sick.
KAI: If you don't happen to know anyone who is sick right now,
you could look at volunteering in a hospital,
a nursing home, or hospice.
LIBBY: Or ask someone who's a full-time caregiver
if they need a break.
KAI: You can also literally give of yourself
by donating blood.
PRISONER LIBBY: Hey, can we get on with this?
LIBBY: I'm sorry, yes, next is visiting the imprisoned.
KAI: Prisoners challenge us to see the image
and likeness of God in everyone,
regardless of what they've done.
PRISONER LIBBY: Wait, even me?
LIBBY: Wait, what did you do?
KAI: The point is that it doesn't matter.
Yes, even you are made in the image
and likeness of God.
PRISONER LIBBY: Thank you.
LIBBY: For this one you can look into prison ministries
or writing letters to prisoners.
KAI: Or charities that aid children whose parents are
in prison or organizations
that work against human trafficking.
LIBBY: You can also look into programs
that work in restorative justice
which focuses on repairing the harm caused
by an offense through rehabilitation
and reconciliation.
KAI: Then there's burying the dead.
LIBBY: Ooh, fun fact.
This one wasn't an original work of mercy,
but was declared one when during the years
of early Christianity, there were a lot
of people that needed to be buried
once the lions were done with them.
KAI: Now most of us probably won't have
to go out and dig graves.
LIBBY: Although it is a skill that would come
in handy during a zombie apocalypse. (screams)
(zombie groans)
KAI: So, for this one you can look for opportunities
to support those who have lost loved ones.
You can attend funerals...
LIBBY: ...And pray for the dead.
Catholics believe that we can still pray
for people to be able to join God in Heaven
even after they've passed away.
KAI: So, there you have it.
Seven ways ...
LIBBY: But wait, there's more.
KAI: More? We really need to be wrapping this up.
LIBBY: In 2016, Pope Francis proposed Care
for the Environment as a compliment
to the other works of mercy.
KAI: Ah, and fortunately we have a whole episode
with ideas on how to do that.
LIBBY: As with all of these, it's important
to strive to see the face of Christ
in everyone that we encounter.
KAI: When it comes to mercy, there's never too much
that we can give or do.
LIBBY:For more on putting the corporal works of mercy
into action, check out our website
at CatholicCentral.com.
KAI: I'm Kai.
LIBBY: And I'm Libby.
Until next time, work it.
KAI: Corporally.
(upbeat music)