An act of Mercy

The catholic church has several well defined acts of mercy that any practioner must follow. It is not charity, it is a duty. Corporal works of mercy are those that tend to bodily needs. The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) enumerates such acts -- though not this precise list :
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the imprisoned
Visit the sick
Bury the dead

I was thinking about the act of visiting the sick. I was sick, very sick, and occasionally still so. I had a hard time allowing people into my life when I was sick. I felt that they were doing it out of charity, and out of pity. I felt that I was not deserving of thier attention. Further, the proximity to those about whom I cared only highlighted the gulf between myself and wellness. It made me feel worse. I isolated myself.

I was thinking about these acts of mercy last night, when I realized that there is a reciprocal duty related to each. As much a person has a duty, and that duty is far older than the Bible that decribes it and echos in the insticts of every person to reach out, to help, the recipient has a duty to accept the work, the act. In this way, our society is drawn together. No debt is incurred. NO repayment is necessary excpet perhaps one's own observance of these acts.

I guess that is why I keep blogging, becuase I fluctuate between the sick and the well, and I am learning to accept help when I am sick, and glad to give it when I am well.