The disciples fully believed that Jesus’ farewell was forever. They would never again see Jesus with their human eyes and so their hearts were full of sadness and nostalgia. However, I’m sure they remembered His promise: “I will be with you always, until the end of the world.” Christ is going away, but he's also staying? How were they supposed to understand this paradox?

The spiritual works of mercy are concrete acts of charity aimed at the needs of the soul. The Catechism teaches that the works of mercy are “charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities,” and that the spiritual works include “instructing, advising, consoling, [and] comforting,” as well as “forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently.” (CCC, 2447)

The Corporal Works of Mercy are concrete actions by which the faithful of the church come to the aid of a person’s bodily or material needs. The Church calls them “corporal” because they assist people with their material necessities, and they are ways of meeting Christ present in those in need.