Do you know the works of mercy by heart?
“If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.” (John 8: 39)
Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me. (John 8, 31-42)
Faith and works: Jesus’s true disciples are not those who simply say yes to Him with their mouths, but do so through their actions as well. This is exactly like Jesus, unlike the false prophets, who comes from the Father and whose works confirm this. There is no effective teaching without a living witness. Let us take time to review the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and then practice them in our lives. If we still haven’t learned them by heart, then let's read them each night during our examination of conscience until they become a fixed part in our lives.
