Works Of Mercy Research Articles

Hospes venit, Christus venit: Hospitality, Healing, and the Opera Misericordiae in the Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala

For almost a thousand years (1090–1990), Santa Maria della Scala in Siena—arguably one of the oldest surviving hospitals in the world—opened its doors to pilgrims, travelers, the sick, the poor, and the gittati (children who were “cast off” and left on its steps). Making manifest the traditional adage of hospitality, all the guests who presented themselves there were to be welcomed as Christ himself. In this paper, I explore this broadening of the Church’s vision of its healing ministry (that is, beyond care for the sick) alongside the increasing dedication of the laity to the opera misericordiae (the works of mercy) in the late and high Middle Ages with the Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala in Siena as a case in point. I will make reference to the mid-fifteenth century fresco cycle in the Pellegrinaio of the hospital that bears witness to its celebrated functions and speaks to how and by whom these were carried out.

Communal Holiness in the Liberation and Methodist Movements

Abstract In this article, aspects of the Methodism tradition are put in dialogue with characteristics of Latin American liberation theology to explore communal holiness. The article focuses primarily on the words of John Wesley and Gustavo Gutiérrez, considered founders of these movements. The Wesleyan ‘means of grace’ by ‘works of mercy’ is a similar concept to Liberation's ‘encountering God in the poor and oppressed.’ Traits of liberation spirituality are compared to Methodism. The concluding section asserts that in order to be sanctified (made holy), Christians must do it together. This holiness can be activated through works of mercy with the poor and oppressed.

The Divine Character of Human Rights and Duties: A Theological Enquiry in the Context of the Border Regions in the Czech Republic

The context of the article is the call by Pope Francis expressed in Fratelli tutti to extend fraternity towards people on the margins. The discourse on human rights is proposed as an appropriate – though by no means self-evident – tool for theology to use in order to respond to the challenge of poverty. The article discusses the use of human rights in theology against the background of the situation of poor border areas of the Czech Republic, which are considered to suffer from injustice. It is argued that, under current socio-economic conditions, it is extremely difficult for people living in these regions to make free and responsible decisions. The article confirms that human rights, e.g., social and economic rights, can be convincingly based on a theological view of the human person. ‘Divine rights’ have their counterpart in ‘divine duties’, i.e., duties resulting from biblical faith in God the Liberator. Moreover, the Gospel shows that works of mercy or works of justice are eschatologically significant. Finally, it argues that human rights not only allow Christians to share with people of other faiths and without faith the service to justice in the world but are even a possible expression of their own mission to work for the coming of the Kingdom.

Spel en betekenisgeving bij de musealisering van christelijk-religieus erfgoed

In Homo Ludens Johan Huizinga argues that play is a necessary condition of culture, as for example in the placement of objects in the Rijksmuseum: their arrangement produces different layers of meaning that can be uncovered in various ways by visitors. Huizinga opposes the idea of the as a museum of art because combining objects of art and historical objects will lead to a ‘historical sensationalism’. The polyptych “The Seven Works of Mercy” (De zeven werken van barmhartigheid) shows how a Christian-religious object can function in the Rijksmuseum’s environment, defined by secular rules of presentation.

Exploring a Wesleyan Political Theology

Exploring a Wesleyan Political Theology

Regarding the Image of the Pain of Others: Caravaggio, Sontag, Leogrande

Why were Caravaggio’s Sleeping Cupid (1608) and The Seven Works of Mercy (1607) requested for display at a number of humanitarian public events? And why did Caravaggio’s work inspire a series of photographic and journalistic reportages on contemporary migratory phenomena? This article surveys the main circumstances linking Caravaggio’s pictorial corpus to the so-called European migrant crisis. After critical reflection on the social construction of the “humanitarian Caravaggio,” the focus shifts onto a book that is at the same time a journalistic investigation of migratory phenomena, a literary work, and a theoretical reflection on the ways of looking: La frontiera (2015) by Alessandro Leogrande, which concludes with a reflection on the representation of suffering in Caravaggio’s Martyrdom of St. Matthew (1600). By following a path that connects Caravaggio’s painting, Susan Sontag’s thought, and Leogrande’s writing, what emerges is the critical and self-critical potentiality of a comparative approach to the arts and images.

Visitatio Christi: Matthew 25:33-46 as Apocalyptic-Ethical Impulse

Through an exploration of the interpretation history of Matt. 25:33-46, this article develops an apocalyptic ethics based on Christ’s encountering us in the least of his brothers and sisters. Proposing the newly coined expression ‘ visitatio Christi’, the article offers a counterpoint to the common theological-ethical theme of imitatio Christi. First, it recalls how Jesus’ eschatological parable has time and again inspired love of the neighbour in need (e.g., the works of mercy) and challenged the scope of the required option for the poor (e.g., the debate about charity and structural change). Next, the article shows how an apocalyptic ethics based in Matthew 25, which imagines our moral life as a response to the visitatio Christi, implies a transformation of attitude/perception, a reversal of roles, and finds its source in the sacramental presence of Christ in the poor. Finally, the different aspects of the argument are recapitulated drawing upon Pope Francis’s use of Matthew 25.

Art in support of life: Caravaggio and the plague.

In the struggle with COVID-19, art offered a way to face the solitude of the lockdown. The focus of this paper is primarily on Caravaggio's painting The Seven Works of Mercy, with references to other paintings to amplify some aspects of the artist's approach to life and his uniqueness in the artistic landscape of his time. Darkness was part of Caravaggio's research for spiritual truth and by entering the stories of his life and exploring the tales told through imaginative expression in his paintings, it is possible to understand his process of exploration of ancestral darkness. The author uses her imagination to reflect on how art can help to contact the profound fears buried in the unconscious which are now being awakened by the pandemic. The contemplation of this painting facilitated the emergence of emotions related to the darkness of our time, with the discovery that empathy and mercy offer a way to come to terms with the pandemic. This approach demands a different understanding of reality with Caravaggio's dark creative world becoming a companion that permits the exploration of what is not yet thinkable in daily life. Images accompany the author's research that relies on her imagination and amplifications.

A Fifth Mark of the Church?

In addition to the four marks of the Church, mercy has been emphasized since the pontificate of St. John Paul II as essential to the authentic fulfillment of the Church’s identity and mission. A Christological and pneumatological understanding of these marks of the Church leads to a proper grasp of the Church in relation to mercy. The Church is merciful not de facto because of her works of mercy on behalf of the poor or sinners. Rather, she is first the recipient of unprecedented Divine Mercy, poured forth in the gift of the Holy Spirit, and so shares that same Spirit of Mercy with others through her sacraments, preaching, and service. The Church’s mission of mercy thus extends beyond the myriad of manners to alleviate human misery. In union with Christ, her Bridegroom, the Church is to communicate the one gift of Divine Mercy, the Holy Spirit, to all.

The Life of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in the United States, 1862 to Present: An Ecclesial Perspective

Against the backdrop of an increasing Catholic immigrant American population, the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus, in 1862, attuned to the teachings of the "One, Apostolic, Holy, Roman Catholic Church," came from England to the United States, where they aimed to meet "the wants of the day, through the means of spiritual Mercy," with an emphasis upon education. Over the next nearly 160 years, (1) the American bishops at the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, (2) Pope Pius X in Quam Singulari, (3) the 1917 Code of Canon Law, and (4) the Second Vatican Council each offered scope and direction for the "apostolic zeal" of the sisters and the institutions in which they served, up to the present day. In each new era, the Society has endeavored to discern and to respond to the movement of the Spirit of God in unfolding circumstances through the works of mercy, particularly, yet not exclusively, through the work of education. This essay portrays, through a broad overview, the response of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in the United States to the invitation issued 175 years ago by Archbishop Nicholas Wiseman (and reaffirmed by Pope Gregory XVI) to Cornelia Connelly.

Christian Duty to Bury the Dead and its Contemporary Challenges

The custom of burying the dead is not merely commonly accepted by Christianity the way of disposal of the human body after the death. It is most deeply rooted and perfectly expressing Christian anthropology, revealed in the Holy Scriptures as a consequence of original sin, sign of hope in the Resurrection, and imitation of Christ, who was buried in the tomb. In Catholic view the burial is a corporal work of mercy, act of care for the dead and their loved ones. Gaining popularity the practice of cremation is accepted by the Church for the sake of hygiene, economy, or community. Human remains, also in the form of ashes, always must be buried or placed in the columbarium. Church does not allow the human body to be disposed via resomation or promession. Alternative forms of memorializing the deceased, though attractive esthetically and sentimentally, are not only outlandish in Christian culture, but also contrary to the Christian teaching on origins, nature, and destination of the human person.

Clarifying the Task of the Church in a Secular Age

This paper argues that a proper theological understanding of the church-world relationship must avoid the tendency to dichotomize the two. Instead of regarding the world as a godless place, Christians must affirm in faith that the world is fundamentally graced, since it is the product of God’s desire to communicate Godself. First, this paper draws upon the work of philosopher Charles Taylor to elucidate the meaning of “secularity” in the Western context. Then, the paper appeals to Karl Rahner’s theology in exploring the prophetic and dialogical functions of the church with respect to society, which entails the church’s own self-critical task as a listening, discerning, and synodal church. Rather than privatizing faith, the minority status of the church in society allows it to fulfill its mission more authentically as servant and sacrament of God’s kingdom. Finally, this paper proposes that any impingement of the ostensible sacred-secular divide starts with the works of mercy because these directly confront the contingencies and vagaries of human life, touching upon our innate need for one another.

(beauty of the) foolishness of God

"The gospel is foolishness. Preaching is folly. Preachers are fools." This is the refrain throughout Johan Cilliers' and Charles Campbell's inspiring and unsettling book on homiletics. As the quote indicates, the authors connect the folly and foolishness to the gospel and to the preaching preacher. They invoke all kinds of fools, clowns, tricksters and jesters, including Jesus, to explain the meaning of "the folly of the cross", as Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. However, Cilliers and Campbell do not so much address the implications of the folly of God, or, to put it in a different way, the folly that God is. Whenever they relate the foolishness to God, they refer to paradoxical phrases like "powerful weakness," or "different aesthetics," or the "terrible beauty" of the cross. They assume that an omnipotent God who is at the same time powerless and mocked at the cross is the ultimate figure of foolishness. Still, this vulnerable God remains in power, somehow. Resurrection guarantees triumph after all. In his The Folly of God (A Theology of the Unconditional, Salem/Oregon, Polebridge Press 2016), Jack Caputo, however, digs theologically deeper when it comes to what is going on in the name (of)"God". Caputo interprets the Pauline rhetoric on the folly of the cross in a more radical manner. He "weakens" the folly of God into an insistent call that we give existence in works of mercy. In Caputo's weak theology there is no ultimate winning God, despite the foolishness of the cross. Because, we do not know what is coming at us when we pray for God's kingdom. It might be beauty, even the beauty of folly, but it might also be a threat. That is the risk we take when putting our faith in the folly of God.This contribution intends to construct a dialogue between Cilliers and Caputo about the hermeneutics of 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 and its implications for understanding the folly of God.

Re-Enchanting Nature and Medicine

AbstractResponding to Max Weber’s modern diagnosis of nature, science, and medicine as disenchanted, this article aims to reenvision nature and medicine with a sense of enchantment drawing from the Christian themes of creation, Christology, suffering, and redemption. By reenvisioning nature as enchanted with these theological themes, the vocation of medicine might be revitalized in terms of suffering presence, healing care, and works of mercy toward the neighbor in need.

Two “Mothers” in 5 Ezra 2:1-32

Abstract The early Christian apocryphon 5 Ezra (2 Esdras) 2:1-32 describes two distinct but unidentified “mothers.” The first (2:1-7) is desolate, forlorn, and consigned to “destruction”; the second (2:15-32) is encouraged, glorified, and triumphant. It is generally recognized that the first “mother” represents the city of Jerusalem, “Mother Jerusalem.” The identity of and literary/thematic inspiration(s) behind the second “mother,” however, are uncertain. The main thesis of this paper is that the “mother” in 2:15-32 represents the Christian church, “Mother Church.” The primary evidence for this identification is the remarkable thematic and verbal parallels between 5 Ezra’s descriptions of the “mother” and the characterizations of “Mother Church” in the writings of Cyprian. Furthermore, the writings of Zeno of Verona and Lactantius contain lists of Christian ecclesiastical “works of mercy” that are close to 5 Ezra 2:20-22. Our findings suggest that 5 Ezra is a post-250 Latin composition of North African origin.

Christian Pedagogy as a Pedagogy of Love

Christian views on the education of man are considered. Christian pedagogy is the science of the formation of the spiritual and bodily life of man on the basis of absolute values, which is filled with Christian culture. It is based on universal moral law of humankind that is Ten Commandments of God and Two Fundamental Commandments of Christian Love and on Seven Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, Evangelical Counsels and Beatitudes. Christian pedagogy helps a person to realize his dignity and value as a person created on the image and likeness of God. A special feature of Christian pedagogy is the close connection between spiritual and moral education. By means of Christian pedagogy moral and theological virtues are formed. The most important virtue in upbringing is love, as a struggle for the good of your neighbors, regardless of yourself. Love to God and to others is the basic law of Christian pedagogy. In the Christian upbringing of youth, the most important tasks are the formation of: the mind in which faith will reign; the will in which love will dominate; feelings in which hope will work. Principles of Christian pedagogy are nonviolence, timeliness, unity of pedagogical influences, the principle of personality, anthropological principle (respect for human dignity). Christian education is an alternative to a society that surrounds our youth. It creates a sensible conscience, calls for the avoidance of sins, and to live according to the commandments of God.

From beggar to virtuoso: The street singer in the Netherlandish visual tradition, 1500–1600

AbstractThis essay surveys the iconography of street singers and musicians in sixteenth‐century Netherlandish painting. It examines the visual and social status of itinerant performers as they move between different roles in the urban marketplace: from sympathetic beggar deserving of charity to diabolical trickster and charlatan, to successful entrepreneur operating within a new market system. The representation of this marginal type extends from grotesque and comic portrayals in late medieval manuscript illuminations and the hallucinatory Hellscapes of Hieronymous Bosch and his followers, to sympathetic depictions as objects of charity in altarpieces of The Seven Works of Mercy, to more ambivalent figurations of pedlars hawking printed wares in serial paintings of biblical narratives in the marketplace by Antwerp‐based artists Pieter Aertsen and Joachim Beuckelaer. The portrait of the street singer that emerges in the highly urbanized Low Countries reflects the burgermoraal (bourgeois morality) of patrons and artists and their attitudes on the social role of the marketplace, the status of consumer capitalism versus civic charity, and most importantly the acceptance of marginal and itinerant individuals who operate outside the norms and regulations of cities and societies.

The Works of Mercy

The Works of Mercy

Grzeszna kobieta (Łk 7, 36-50) jako obraz Kościoła w nauczaniu św. Ambrożego

St. Ambrose belongs to these Fathers of the Western Church, who in their thoughts used biblical motifs using the allegorical exegesis. It was of particular significance to him to teach about the Church. While approaching the matter of the Church he referred to an interesting image from the Gospel of St. Luke, relating to a sinful woman who washed and wiped the feet of Jesus in the house of Simon, the Pharisee. In this figure different motifs of contemporary eccesiology are com­bined. The Church stands as one body composed of many members following to­gether to Jesus and bowing in front of him. He is a dispenser of grace. His primary tasks are to glorify the God, transmit the Gospel and the works of mercy.

Virtues and Vices Reformed? Visual Pastoralia in Fourteenth-Century Bohemian Art

Depictions of didactic-dogmatic images in the mural paintings in two Bohemian parish churches are unique in the Czech environment, and their possible meaning, function, and use in pastoral practice (cura animarum) have to be undrestood, particularly in the context of religious reform and devotional-moral transformation initiated by the Fourth Lateran Council. The first example is the image of scutum fidei, which appears next to the prominent Bohemian saint and Přemyslid dux St Wenceslaus in the former chapel of the Hradec Králové parish church, that was painted shortly after the mid-fourteenth century. The scutum fidei in Hradec Králové represents the oldest known Central European example of such a Trinitarian diagram, and it is considered here in its original visual context. The scutum in the Hradec Králové chapel should be understood as a multi-layered image with strong pastoral-educational power. It is "Bohemianized" by being the protective attribute of the Czech holy patron, St Wenceslaus, and part of his arma virtutum. The second case represents All Saints parish church in Zdětín; its presbytery is decorated with two unprecedented monumental paintings depicting the Seven Sacraments and the Seven Works of Mercy, together with a scene with preaching Christ and Mary Magdalene accompanied by the Czech-Latin text of the Decalogue. The iconographic conception of the Zdětín paintings is unique in Bohemian medieval art and was inspired by the period's catechetic handbooks.