Sunday Mass Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14 • Psalm 130:1-8 • Romans 8:8-11 • John 11:1-45
In Sunday’s psalm, we read that the Lord offers forgiveness and mercy.
What is mercy? We show mercy when we are kind — even to people who may not be kind to us. Mercy is a big part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus — because Jesus is merciful!
How do we know that Jesus is merciful? Because he chose to die on the cross to forgive our sins instead of punishing us. Isn’t that amazing?
Being merciful also means caring for others and looking for ways to help them. To teach us how to be merciful, the Church gave us the Corporal Works of Mercy, a list of things we can do for those in need. The works of mercy include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.
When your family joins Cross Catholic Outreach’s mission to help kids in Africa, you are showing mercy to people who need water, food and medicine. Read part five of Anna’s story with your family, then answer the questions below.
As we reach the end of Lent and approach the Easter season, we invite you to create a resurrection garden as a family. Using a planter, flowers and a stone, you can recreate the garden where Jesus was laid in the tomb. Just remember to roll the stone away on Easter morning! Visit our blog for tips on preparing, planting and caring for your garden.
Donate to Bless the Poor Around the World!
1. How was Anna’s community affected by people who showed mercy by giving clean water?
2. Clean water gave Anna’s community hope for the future. Do you have any dreams for the future? How can you make serving others in the name of Jesus part of your life’s mission?
3. What are some other examples of God’s mercy in Scripture, in the lives of the saints and in your life?
4. Look around your community. Where do you see opportunities to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy?
Join our email list today and you will get weekly Lent reflections and activities that will engage the whole family in works of mercy throughout the season.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.