How do we do Good Works?

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Brett1980

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In my studies I’ve read that Good Works are essential to salvation.

I understand that:
Sheltering strangers
Feeding the hungry
Giving a drink to the thirsty
Clothing the naked
Visiting the imprisoned
are good works.

catscans.com/catholicsite/goodwrks.htm

But how does doing good works work.
Is giving a cigarette to a homeless man a good work?
Is doing an unwarrented chore for somebody a good work?

If I donate to a charity is this a good work:
ozcare.org.au/page/Support_Us/Donations_Sponsorships_and_Bequests/

Are there good works that don’t require much time and money which I can do?
 
Your catscans link is excellent.

Mother Theresa said something like this:

“We cannot do great things; we can only do small things with great love.”

It is the quality of the LOVE we have that matters the most in whatever good work we do.

LOVE is a decision and an action much more than it is a feeling.

LOVE is also the greatest Commandment. We are to LOVE OTHERS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

A lack of hatred, a kind word are perhaps the simplist acts of Love especially when we do these with the clear intention to love. The same with good manners and courtesy.

Keeping our word is love because the other learns that we are reliable and that they matter to us.

There are many other acts of love that require no money. And there are many other acts of love that do require time, effort, and resourses.

Your second link tells of a Saint who gave greatly. We could be saintly like that. I think it sufficient for most of us that we always remember that we are alive to do God’s Will and that is to LOVE OTHERS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Each person’s details will vary. We have the ability to judge ourselves on this and to make better efforts.
 
GratefulFred said:
“We cannot do great things; we can only do small things with great love.”
Click to expand...
This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. You cannot feed the entire population of hungry people but you can feed one child at a time. You cannot build a happy home for every homeless person on the street but you can share in their pain.
 
From what I’ve heard, good works are not absolutely necessary for salvation. You just need to die in a state of grace.

Of course, great benefits come from good works. They increase grace (which helps keep us from sin), they increase merit (which gives us greater heavenly glory), and they please God (which is a desire of any god-loving Christian). Although, I believe that in some cases we have an obligation to perform a good work, so it could be a mortal sin not to perform one when the obligation arises.

But from what I’ve heard, you could technically go your entire life without performing a good work, and get to heaven, though it would be very hard. Plus, it’s not about doing the absolute minimum. In Purgatory I would feel sick for never having committing a good work.

Maybe I’m wrong.
 
Am I correct in what I said above, or is it heresy? I don’t want to lead anyone into believing what isn’t true.
 
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