In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches how to pray. We call it the “Lord’s Prayer” and it covers just about everything one needs – for oneself.
Still, there is prayer for others – for those in need or distress, for the spiritual health of the community, and for salvation.
Twin to the Corporal Works of Mercy discussed yesterday are the Spiritual Works of Mercy:
- Counsel the doubtful
- Instruct the ignorant
- Admonish sinners
- Comfort the afflicted
- Forgive offenses
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Pray for the living and the dead
Serrans are charged to extend their prayers and Spiritual Works of Mercy specifically to priests, religious and to continually sanctify the Serran community, as stated in the Handbook for Serrans Called to Holiness:
As a club, Serrans should offer a Mass for priests who serve in their respective parishes during the anniversary celebrations of their sacerdotal ordination. When a priest is called home to the Lord, it is also a good practice to offer a set of Gregorian Masses for the repose of the soul/s of the priest/s. Serrans should never hesitate to pray for priests or seminarians in need. In fact, praying for our priests should be a daily practice for all Serrans.
Most importantly, Serrans should advise and correct one another in the spirit of fraternal love and to bear one another’s wrongs patiently. It is also of utmost importance for Serrans to build up a praying and loving community to support and edify one another in their journey to eternal life while serving in the Serra global lay apostolate for vocations.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
In your personal experience, is one or the other – the Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy – more difficult to perform? If so, why?What can give you the confidence to move forward with one or more of the difficult works?