Acts of mercy required?

[Blessedwithfive]

I know that the Acts of Mercy are good things to do but is not doing them considered a sin? If so, what type?

 

[MT1926]

I know that the Acts of Mercy are good things to do but is not doing them considered a sin? If so, what type?

That word “required” is a tricky word to use. Are you saying required for salvation? If you are then the answer is yes and no.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Luke 12:48 - To whom much is given, of him will much be required.

Which means it would depend on the situation. Think about the Rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. The Rich man could have easily shown Lazarus mercy. However, at the same time Lazarus wasn’t really in a position (different situation) to take care of anyone else.

I would say if you are capable of performing an act of mercy towards someone and you deliberately don’t, even though you can, then it is a sin.

I good situation Dr. Anders uses goes like this…

To like pizza is not a sin. Actually it can even be considered a good because it nourishes you. However, if you are walking down a pier and you smell a pizza and think to yourself oooo I like pizza. Then all of the sudden you hear someone drowning to your right and you say to yourself hey that guy needs my help, but you know what I really like pizza especially fresh out of the oven, and you decide to let the guy drown so you can get yourself a slice… That desire for pizza over being merciful to the drowning guy is starting to look a lot like gluttony which is a sin.

Hope this helps,

God Bless

 

[Hodos]

Love your neighbor as yourself. Yes, not caring for your neighbor is a sin. Whether it is a venial or mortal sin is irrelevant for our purposes. That is why we as Christians repent and depend on God’s grace through Jesus Christ, daily.

 

[fhansen]

I know that the Acts of Mercy are good things to do but is not doing them considered a sin? If so, what type?

Here’s what the Church teaches, very simply, about our judgment.The last line is a quote from St John of the Cross which summarizes the whole thing in a nutshell-and it’s a central tenet of the Christian faith:
1022 Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification594 or immediately,595 – or immediate and everlasting damnation.596

At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.597

Love produces acts of mercy by its nature. But it’s not necessarily true that we love just because we work; rather we work because we love. That’s when we’re doing things God’s way.

 

[Lee1]

is not doing them considered a sin? If so, what type?

So if an act of mercy is or can be both paying penance and an act of charity then it is feasible that we might be guilty of two sins by not acting, under some circumstances.

I was recently asked to do something for a neighbour and I hesitated because it meant doing something quite onerous. While hesitating I was reminded that I should love my neighbour as myself and so I agreed quite quickly following that thought. When I carried out the work I was fatigued by it but I tried not to think about it too much because it was also a penance for me too. Who knows what sin it was paying for, it doesn’t matter.

Carrying out an act of mercy can also be given up to help someone else in some way best known to God too.

 

[Mary888]

Needed not required. Needed the receiver needed by the giver. Not just payment but as an act that we in our initial state of grace in Heaven, in the likeness of God, without the fall, would have done easily and with great joy.
In this world we must learn by piece what we have lost and greatest loss is the highest one aand that is Love. Our ability to just Love.
Charity is an aspect of Love. Do it and it brings more fatal wounds to the demons than all exorcism and spiritual warfare.

 

[Blessedwithfive]

I think I didn’t make my question clear. Of course I believe is an act of mercy makes itself known we need to act. I was thinking more of do we need to SEEK out acts of mercy. Like say I am really good at cooking for groups of people. And I have the means, do I NEED to go out and cook for the homeless (give food to the hungry)? Or say I am really good at teaching children and I know the faith very well. Do I NEED to teach CCD (instruct the ignorant?)

Would it be a SIN to not seek out and perform acts of mercy?

Part of me says yes and yet part of me says no. I need some help determining…

 

[Lee1]

I think we should do what we can if we can. To think of not doing what you are able to do as a sin might be to torture yourself unnecessarily, it sounds pathogenic but only if taken to the extreme.

The best reason to do the things you mention is because you want to show your love for humanity, not to avoid sin as such I think. It can be a very subtle difference but one way is beating yourself up about something and the other is moving towards something voluntarily. If you see what I mean.

I’m not talking about helping someone who has been in an accident or robbed etc though, those are obvious situations where to not help would be wrong unless to do so would put yourself in danger. Though some even do this.

If you have some spare time and can afford to be charitable then helping others would be a lovely way to show your love for God and your love for others.

Sometimes I have thought wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could live according to my concience, and I have also asked myself …why don’t you then? What peace of mind we would have if we did.

 

[fhansen]

We need to love. Acts of mercy are an integral part of and fruit of that love.

 

[Lee1]

Happy anniversary