Corporal Works of Mercy
08. Oct, 2011 
5 Comments
Over the past few months, we’ve been trying to find increasingly creative ways to make money. Not that we are trying to prepare for anything in particular… not like we will have a sudden need for money in say, oh, 6 months… But, ever since the dryer went out in July, we’ve been trying to find ways to increase the cash flow into our home. For example, due to the striking success of Admiral Ackbar‘s Rebels, my fantasy baseball team this year, I captured the title in one of the four divisions. Rather than accept a trophy plaque to hang in my office and intimidate my subordinates, I’ve elected to just accept the money the plaque would’ve cost to use toward the purchase of a washer/dryer on craig’s list. Don’t worry, I told Bill, our league manager that I would scribble with a sharpie “2011 Fantasy Division Winner” onto the side of the new dryer once acquired.
Being a young father makes you think a lot more about money. Before I was married, and maybe even after we were married but before we had kids, I hardly ever thought of money. But being a father makes you a planner… and that’s not a bad thing all the time.
Saint Joseph
Anyway, one of the ways I’ve procured additional funds, after my wife sold a lot of clothes on ebay… is to volunteer to be experimented on here at the university. I’m devoting my body to science, ladies and gentlemen! Since my career as a male model didn’t work out as planned, I’ve had to find other ways to use my talents (or lack there of) to bring in the Benjamins. I haven’t yet sold off any organs, but we’ll see what lies around the river bend of time.
The study I’m participating in right now, as I type actually, requires me to drink massive amounts of pop and juice which are then followed by blood samples taken over a period of 6 hours. I believe the study is testing the effects of corn syrup on metabolic processes and hunger. Last night, they wanted me to fast from lunch until 6 am this morning. Then this morning at 6 am, they gave me a huge glass of cool aid and started an IV to take regular blood samples. After I drank and ate a little bit, I started to feel very light headed and nauseous, which caused me to start perspiring. Back when I worked at St. Louis, I got over my fear of blood and needles, so I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the blood that caused it. I think it was the fasting and the large needle they used, but I was really sweating like a beast…
I told the doctor who put the IV in that I felt a bit light headed. So, she had me put my feet up… very quickly … and rushed to see if I was OK. Then she took a towel and patted my brow a bit… as I was sweating profusely at this point. She took the utmost care to make sure the nausea went away and was clearly concerned. Anyway, at that point, I felt a great bit of relief and really thankful to her for helping me not to barf all over the place or pass out like a nancy boy.
This incident really made me think a lot about the corporal works of mercy. The corporal works of mercy relate to the actions of one person reacting to the suffering of another in a way to relieve that suffering. They are:
- To feed the hungry;
- To give drink to the thirsty;
- To clothe the naked;
- To harbour the harbourless;
- To visit the sick;
- To ransom the captive;
- To bury the dead.
I figured, what with the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi being this past week, that it was an appropriate time to think about how the corporal works of mercy are being enacted in my life. St. Francis and his followers did (and continue to do) a tremendous amount of good in this realm. The good doctor, though she may have been unaware of it, really did help with the anguish and nausea I was feeling, simply with a few simple gestures. It is quite profound how much relief we can enact from such simple actions. We must also remember that we’re doing these things not just for reasons of humanitarianism or humanism, but to bring about eternal salvation – our own and the salvation of others. I encourage you all to think about the corporal works you can do, if it suits you on this fine Saturday.
Now if you’ll excuse me, the corn syrup is really starting to kick in so I must be off! Sugar high commence! I love juice!
Yes, truly, even small works of kindness are often largely received.
I could be wrong, but I think Sammy Sosa was a juicer too!
Maybe they can sign him up for their study.
While not to completely discount the kindness she showed you, can you really consider it a corporal work of mercy if she was essentially the cause of your discomfort to begin with? =P
I’m just saying…
I don’t think you could, since it was not done for the intention of the salvation of souls…. The main reason I mentioned it, perhaps not well, was the small acts of corporal mercy can be very effective, as this small action had an effect. But you’re right, I don’t think her action was a corporal work of mercy, though it may have been. Who knows, she may have been thinking of aiding the sick in that moment for the salvation of souls. Crazier things have happened…..
The juice clip reminds me…AD is coming back as a mini-series for 10 episodes or so. Seriously this time. Everyone is signed on except for will arnet, they are still working on him….oh and thank you for the thoughts on the corporal works of mercy. They are oft forgotten about but extremely important to us and those poor souls in purgatory.
Give my son the juice!