Tuesday, November 10, 2020 –
Okie dokie, readers! Today we are going to delve into the second of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy: to give drink to the thirsty.
As always, let’s crack open Bishop Morrow and see what he has to say on the matter:
Which are the chief corporal works of mercy? – The chief corporal works of mercy are seven:…
2. To give drink to the thirsty.
Our Lord says that t a cup of cold water given in His name shall not go unrewarded (Mark 9:40). Giving medicine belongs to this work of mercy. Those who construct reservoirs, or who purify public drinking water, are giving drink to the thirsty. (Bishop Morrow, My Catholic Faith, p. 180)
Point of clarification on that Bible verse, Mark 9:40. Keep in mind Bishop Morrow predates Vatican II. So, when he says Mark 9:40, you best stick to your Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition, trust me.
Somewhere along the way (I don’t totally know when) someone (I don’t know who) thought of a swimmingly bad idea to sort of re-number certain parts of the Bible. Why? Who knows! Anyhoo, here is what Mark 9:40 is referencing in the Douay-Rheims edition:
“For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ: amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
If you are dead set in looking up you Bible verses on the USCCB website, well then you are going to need to see Mark 9:41. Again, who knows why the powers that be thought it a bright idea to re-number parts of the Bible.
Ehh…moving on…
So, giving drink to the thirsty. I do not think I need to clarify that the drink you hand over should probably actually mostly somewhat relieve actual thirst, but for those of you who would hand over tequila to a man dying of thirst…don’t. Just don’t. I mean, I **suppose** there might be a situation where you should give someone tequila…maybe.
For our examples:
Yes, you can give drink to the panhandler you see every day on your commute. You can also help finance wells in Africa or build clean water tanks in back-woods America. I mean, you should probably find a more reputable charity than Catholic Relief Services who happens to hand out many things contrary to the faith, but the point is that we desperately need people to step up locally and globally to help relieve the thirst throughout the world.
Inevitably, someone is going to pick up on the wrong sentence in Bishop Morrow’s definition and go to the “healthcare for all” extreme. Umm…NO!
To be clear, socialized medicine (AKA “healthcare for all”) is vastly different from your “right to healthcare.” In fact, socialized medicine takes AWAY your rights to your health and allows the government to determine your outcomes. Yes, you have a right to your health, but that does NOT mean that it is the government’s job to treat your every ailment…or any ailment. You have the right to seek medical attention in accordance with being a child of God (see list below), but not at the expense of others (ahem…taxes) and not at the expense of, well, YOU!
God made you. God loves you. God wants you to be healthy and protect His creation (ahem…YOU!).
BUUUTTTT…you do NOT have unfettered “rights” to health or healthcare. And on that note, I feel that we need a list of things that are in no way “healthcare”:
- Recreational drugs and alcohol
- Contraceptives
- Abortion
- Sex reassignment
- Euthanasia
- Basically, anything that harms your health or goes against God’s plan or the purpose, physicality, or reality that is “human.”
Omnes sancti Angeli et Archangeli, orate pro nobis!
