Corporal Works of Mercy - hand carved by Hans Schwalm
Presented as a gift to St. Monica School by the class of 2014
in the year of Mercy 2016
The traditional corporal works of mercy are feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead. This list finds its roots in Matthew 25:31-46.
31 And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. 32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats... 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. 35 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: 36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40 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. 41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. 44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? 45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. 46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.
The woodcarving shows us Christ on the cross surrounded with images of each corporal work of mercy as they fit into Christ’s passion.
Surrounding the crucifixion, we see:
- Feed the hungry: The bread from the Lord’s Supper
- Give drink to the thirsty: The cup from the Lord's Supper.
- Clothe the naked: The tunic and sandals.
- Comfort the sick: The hands of Jesus comforting the women of Jerusalem
- Shelter the homeless: The house in Ephesus where John took Mary to live after Jesus's death.
- Visit the imprisoned: The cell where Jesus was held prisoner of Caiphas.
- Bury the dead: The tomb of Jesus hewn out of the rock.
These images radiate from Christ on the cross. Christ’s sacrifice is the ultimate act of mercy, making possible freedom from sin and the offer of eternal joy.
Scripture References
Feed the hungry: Jesus breaks the bread and gives it to his disciples at the Lord’s Supper.
And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body. (Matthew 26:26)
And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. (Mark 14:22)
And taking bread, he gave thanks, and brake; and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me. (Luke 22:19)
Give drink to the thirsty: Jesus gives the cup to his disciples at the Lord’s Supper.
And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28)
And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. And he said to them: This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many. (Mark 14:23-24)
In like manner the chalice also, after he had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you. (Luke 22:20)
Clothe the naked: Jesus is stripped of his garments.
And after they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots; (Matthew 27:35)
And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. (Mark 15:24)
And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots. (Luke 23:34)
The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things. (John 19:23-24)
Comfort the sick: Jesus comforts the women of Jerusalem.
And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; (Luke 23:27-28)
House the homeless: Jesus entrusts his mother to the care of John.
When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. (John 19:26-27)
Visit the imprisoned: Jesus is arrested, bound and held overnight.
In that same hour Jesus said to the multitudes: You are come out as it were to a robber with swords and clubs to apprehend me. I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you laid not hands on me. (Matthew 26:55)
But they holding Jesus led him to Caiphas the high priest, where the scribes and the ancients were assembled. (Matthew 26:57)
And the men that held him, mocked him, and struck him. (Luke 22:63)
Then the band and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews, took Jesus, and bound him: (John 18:12)
And Annas sent him bound to Caiphas the high priest. (John 18:24)
Bury the dead: Jesus is laid in the tomb.
And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered. And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth. And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way. (Matthew 27:57-60)
And when evening was now come, (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the sabbath,) Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead. And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre. (Mark 15:42-46)
And behold there was a man named Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and just man, of Arimathea, a city of Judea; who also himself looked for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And taking him down, he wrapped him in fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid. And it was the day of the Parasceve, and the sabbath drew on. And the women that were come with him from Galilee, following after, saw the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And returning, they prepared spices and ointments; and on the sabbath day they rested, according to the commandment. (Luke 23:50-56)
Reflection Questions
Does Jesus feed you now?
What effect does receiving the Body of Christ have in your life?
How do you feed others?
Does Jesus give you drink now?
What effect does receiving the Blood of Christ have on your life?
How do you provide drink for others?
Did you receive a garment at your baptism?
What is the meaning of that garment?
How do you provide clothing to others?
Have you ever felt comforted by Jesus?
Have you ever felt healing or comfort in the sacrament of confession?
How do you comfort others who are sick, sad or distraught?
What is a "domestic church"? How is your home a "domestic church"?
How is the church like a home?
How do you shelter the homeless?
Do people in jail or prison need the love of Jesus and your love too?
What ways can you think of that people feel imprisoned even if they are not behind bars?
How do you comfort the imprisoned?
How did Jesus feel when a friend died?
How can you help the family and friends of those who have passed on?
How do you bury the dead?
Is the death of Jesus the end of the story? (1 Corinthians 15)
