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With the Lenten season underway and prayer, fasting and almsgiving already being practiced more intentionally, Bishop James F. Checchio has asked that all Catholics in the diocese more intentionally live out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy during the Lenten and Easter seasons.
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diocese, Bishop Checchio has invited Catholics in Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties to participate in an initiative called “40 Act Impact: Putting Mercy into Action.” Created in response to the bishop’s second pastoral letter, “Answering the Lord’s Call Through Prayer, Works of Mercy and Vocations,” the initiative invites Catholics in the diocese to commit to doing 40 works of mercy.
“We have over 630,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Metuchen, so if each one could commit to doing 40 works of mercy, together we will have fulfilled over 25 million works of mercy,” the bishop wrote in his letter introducing the initiative. “Can you imagine what a blessing that would be to our local Church and what a witness that would be to our local communities? What a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary and give thanks to God!”
According to the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCA), the spiritual works of mercy “have long been a part of the Christian tradition, appearing in the works of theologians and spiritual writers throughout history. Just as Jesus attended to the spiritual well-being of those he ministered to, these spiritual works of mercy guide us to ‘help our neighbor in their spiritual needs.’”
Through the spiritual works of mercy, Catholics are called to: instruct the uninformed; counsel the doubtful; admonish sinners; forgive offenses; comfort the sorrowful; bear wrongs patiently; and pray for the living and the dead.
According to the USCCA, corporal works of mercy “are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise. They ‘are charitable actions by which we help our neighbors in their bodily needs.’
Through the corporal works of mercy, Catholics are called to: feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; comfort the sick; visit those in prison; and bury the dead.
As part of the 40 Act Impact initiative, the faithful in the diocese are asked to choose 40 ways to live the works of mercy so that those acts might have an impact in local communities, the local Church and in the world. Resources were developed to propose simple, everyday ways that Catholics might put mercy into action and a digital and hardcopy commitment form is available for public use by visiting: diometuchen.org/worksofmercy.
Some suggested ways to live the works of mercy, in part, include: commit to learning more about the Catholic faith; pray for those in need of counsel or guidance; offer to bring a friend, family member or fellow parishioner to receive the sacrament of reconciliation; extend forgiveness to those who have hurt you; visit a friend or family member who is having a difficult time; keep a prayer list of intentions and list those you know are sick and pray for them every day; support and volunteer at a local food pantry, soup kitchen, or agency that helps to feed the hungry; donate clothes or shoes that are in good condition to agencies that support the needy; visit or call the homebound, hospitalized or those in assisted living or nursing homes; donate Bibles, a subscription to “The Catholic Spirit,” or other spiritual reading materials to those who are incarcerated; or participate in a bereavement ministry.
“Through these 40 works of mercy, throughout these 40 days of our Lenten journey, and in this celebratory year marking 40 years of our diocese, my hope and prayer is that we will turn our hearts over more fully to one another and, most importantly, to the Lord,” Bishop Checchio wrote. “May this Lenten season be for us a time of grace and provide for us a moment of encounter with the Lord and each other.”
To learn more about the 40 Act Impact initiative and to commit to making an impact, visit: diometuchen.org/worksofmercy.
All are invited to share their impact by using the hashtag #FortyActImpact on social media or by sharing their photos and stories via email with communications@diometuchen.org.