What are the Corporal Works of Mercy?

• A. Things that we do to care for the physical needs of others.
• B. Acts of love that help us care for the needs of people's hearts, minds, and souls.
• C. Prayers for the dead.
• D. Giving alms to the poor.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is mercy shown through actions that meet people's physical needs. Corporal Works of Mercy are concrete things we do to help the body and everyday life of others—feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned, and burying the dead. Because this question is about caring for the physical side of a person, this broad description fits best: these are things we do to care for the physical needs of others. Other options point to spiritual care—loving and guiding the heart, mind, and soul—or to prayers for the dead, which aren’t physical acts. Giving alms can be a way to help the needy, but the focus here is on the bodily needs that these acts directly address.