The works of mercy are fourteen practical ways of loving our neighbor that the Church draws from the Gospel: seven corporal works, which care for the body, and seven spiritual works, which care for the soul. They are “charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities” (Catechism 2447).
Below are both lists, where they come from, simple examples for everyday life, and a prayer to ask for a merciful heart.
The 7 corporal works of mercy
- Feed the hungry.
- Give drink to the thirsty.
- Clothe the naked. St. Martin of Tours is remembered for cutting his soldier’s cloak in two for a freezing beggar.
- Shelter the homeless (traditionally, “harbor the harborless”).
- Visit the sick.
- Visit the imprisoned (traditionally, “ransom the captive”).
- Bury the dead.
The 7 spiritual works of mercy
- Instruct the ignorant.
- Counsel the doubtful.
- Admonish sinners.
- Bear wrongs patiently.
- Forgive offenses willingly.
- Comfort the afflicted.
- Pray for the living and the dead.
Where the works of mercy come from
Six of the corporal works come straight from Jesus’ description of the Last Judgment, when the King says to the just:
Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:
Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.
Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink?
And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee?
Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee?
And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.
The seventh, burying the dead, comes from the Book of Tobit, where Tobit risks his life to bury his fellow Israelites (Tobit 1–2). The spiritual works gather Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness, prayer and fraternal correction. Christian writers had grouped the works of mercy into these lists by the Middle Ages, and St. Thomas Aquinas explains them in his Summa Theologiae (II-II, q. 32).
Examples of the corporal works of mercy
| Work | Everyday examples |
|---|---|
| Feed the hungry | Volunteer at a soup kitchen; give to a food pantry; bring a meal to a new mother or a grieving family |
| Give drink to the thirsty | Support clean-water projects; carry water on hot days for people working outside; don’t waste water |
| Clothe the naked | Donate good clothes and coats; help a family buy school uniforms |
| Shelter the homeless | Support shelters and housing ministries; welcome a refugee family; open your home to a relative in need |
| Visit the sick | Visit someone in the hospital or a nursing home; call a sick friend; help a caregiver |
| Visit the imprisoned | Write to a prisoner; support prison ministry; help people leaving prison find work |
| Bury the dead | Attend funerals and wakes; pray at a graveside; support a family with the costs or organization of a funeral |
Examples of the spiritual works of mercy
| Work | Everyday examples |
|---|---|
| Instruct the ignorant | Teach religious education; help a child with homework; share what you know about the faith, kindly |
| Counsel the doubtful | Listen to a friend who is struggling with a decision or with faith; point them to good advice |
| Admonish sinners | Gently and privately tell a friend when they are doing harm, as you would want them to tell you |
| Bear wrongs patiently | Don’t retaliate; put up with the annoying habits of others without complaint |
| Forgive offenses willingly | Let go of grudges; be the first to make peace after an argument |
| Comfort the afflicted | Send a note to someone who is grieving; sit with someone who is lonely |
| Pray for the living and the dead | Pray for family, enemies and the souls in purgatory; have a Mass offered for someone |
To pray for the dead, see prayers for deceased loved ones and prayers for the souls in purgatory.
The works of mercy for families and students
- Choose one work a month as a family and plan a concrete action.
- Make a “mercy jar” with a coin box for the poor that children fill during Lent.
- Keep the works in your examination of conscience: did I help someone who needed me today? See our examination of conscience for children.
- Service hours for confirmation can be organized around the corporal works of mercy.
- Pray for one person by name each night as part of night prayers.
Care for our common home
In 2016 Pope Francis proposed caring for creation as a complement to the traditional works of mercy: as a spiritual work, a grateful contemplation of God’s world; as a corporal work, the simple daily gestures that protect it (Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, September 1, 2016).
A prayer for a merciful heart
Written for this page:
Lord Jesus, you fed the hungry, healed the sick
and forgave those who crucified you.
Give me eyes to see the people who need me,
hands ready to help them,
and a heart that forgives as you forgive.
Let me find you in the poor, the sick and the lonely,
so that on the last day I may hear you say,
“As long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.” Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the corporal and spiritual works of mercy?
The corporal works meet bodily needs (food, clothing, shelter, health); the spiritual works meet the needs of the mind and soul (knowledge, counsel, forgiveness, comfort and prayer).
Which work of mercy is the most important?
The Catechism highlights giving to the poor as “one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity” (Catechism 2447). But all the works flow from the same love, and the right one is often the one that the person in front of you needs.
Are the works of mercy required?
Charity toward our neighbor is a commandment, and Jesus says we will be judged on it (Matthew 25). The specific works are not legal obligations, but no Christian can ignore the poor and suffering.
What does “admonish the sinner” mean?
It means correcting someone with love when they are doing wrong, privately and humbly, for their good (Matthew 18:15). It is never an excuse for gossip or harshness.
More guides
- St. John Chrysostom
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary
- Psalm 146 (Praise the Lord, my soul)
- Psalm 9 (I will praise you with my whole heart)
- Psalm 10 (Why, Lord, do you stand far off?)
- Psalm 41 (Blessed is he who considers the poor)
- Good King Wenceslas
- The Beatitudes
- The Ten Commandments (Catholic)
- The seven sacraments
- The gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Intercessory prayer
- Catholic prayers for the dead
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Matthew 25:34–40, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2447.
- Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II, q. 32, a. 2.
- Francis, Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (September 1, 2016).
- The prayer was written for this page.