Works of Mercy Tableau

• Copies of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy:

Spiritual: acts of compassion by which we help our neighbors with their emotion and spiritual needs- instruct, console, forgive, advise, comfort, bear wrongs patiently

Corporal: kind acts by which we help our neighbors with their material and physical needs- feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bury the dead, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and imprisoend, give alms to the poor

• Explain to the children what each of the Works of Mercy entails. (You may want to substitute "mourn" or "remember" the dead for "bury" the dead.)
• Divide the children up into pairs (or threesomes depending on the number), one for each work of mercy.
• Assign each group a specific work of mercy.
• Explain that you want the children to present a single acted-out image or tableau, not a skit, which would exemplify their group's specific work of mercy.
• Give the children about five minutes to work out a tableau for their work of mercy.
• Remind the children that these are silent scenes—they cannot talk as part of the scene.
• Bring the group together and have them sit facing forward, if possible.
• Pass out sheets containing the different Works of Mercy, one per child.
• Call the pairs up one by one and ask them to present their tableau. Have the group call out which work of mercy they think it is.
• After the group has guessed the tableau, call another pair up, until all pairs have gone.
• Explain to the group the importance of observing these important actions in following the work of Jesus.