Well Said: Advent-ish

From my Advent reading in Francis Fernandez's In Conversation With God (vol. 1).

Alongside the so-called material works of mercy, we should also carry out those that are spiritual. In the first place it is our privilege and duty to correct those in error, with our advice when the opportunity arises, and charitably, without ever causing offense. Secondly, it is to teach those who don't know, especially with regard to ignorance of religion, an ignorance which is the great enemy of God; it increases daily in alarming proportions so that catechesis has become a work of mercy of prime importance and urgency. Next comes giving counsel to the doubting, honestly and with the right intention, so as to help them on their way to God. Then follows the consolation of the afflicted, by sharing their sorrow and encouraging them to recover their happiness in their supernatural understanding of the pain they suffer. Pardon those who have offended us, promptly and as often as necessary, without giving excessive importance to the offence. We are advised too, to give help to the needy, carrying out this service generously and joyfully: and, finally, we have to pray for the living and the dead, feeling ourselves linked in a special way through the Communion of Saints to those we owe most because of family relationships, friendship, etc.

Our attitude of merciful benevolence towards others must extend to many different aspects of life, because, says St. John Chrysostom, nothing can make you such an imitator of Christ as your concern for others. Although you fast, although you sleep on the floor, even though, I dare to say, you kill yourself, if you are not attentive to your neighbor, you have done very little; you are very far from being an image of Christ.