Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job - Softcover

Weber, Kerry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0829438920 ISBN 13: 9780829438925

Publisher: Loyola Press, 2014

Synopsis

When Jesus asked us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and visit the imprisoned, he didn’t mean it literally, right? Kerry Weber, a modern, young, single woman in New York City sets out to see if she can practice the Corporal Works of Mercy in an authentic, personal, meaningful manner while maintaining a full, robust, regular life. Weber, a lay Catholic, explores the Works of Mercy in the real world, with a gut-level honesty and transparency that people of urban, country, and suburban locales alike can relate to. Mercy in the City is for anyone who is struggling to live in a meaningful, merciful way amid the pressures of “real life.”
For those who feel they are already overscheduled and too busy, for those who assume that they are not “religious enough” to practice the Works of Mercy, for those who worry that they are alone in their efforts to live an authentic life, Mercy in the City proves that by living as people for others, we learn to connect as people of faith.

About this title

About the Author:

Kerry Weber is a Mercy Associate and Managing Editor of America magazine. She is an alumna of the Mercy Volunteer Corps and of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She lives in New York City.

Review:

Kerry Weber is one of the liveliest, brightest, most provocative and most articulate voices on the Catholic scene today.  With stories that are both profound and lighthearted (and often at the same time) her marvelous new book will help you locate mercy in your daily life.  This is that rare book that will indeed make you laugh and cry, but also pray and serve.  Highly recommended.

  (James Martin, SJ)

In her concise, quick moving, and often funny book, Weber chronicles her experience of giving up sweets, alcohol, and - the real kicker- trying to complete all the corporal works of mercy in the 40(ish) days before Easter. (US Catholic Magazine)

If you take even one thing away from this book, you’ll be a better person and a better Catholic. (Our Sunday Visitor)

There is a renewed spirit of service sweeping through the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Francis -- and Mercy in the City is a simply wonderful expression of how to go about carrying out that commission to service in the contemporary world of today.
  (Midwest Book Review)

If 'change the world' is on your to do list, then Mercy in the City should be on your reading list. Kerry Weber's work is instructive, inspirational, filled with heart, and -- perhaps most importantly -- destined to rock your world. If you've ever desired to be Christ to those in need, but didn't quite know how to make it happen in the context of a busy schedule, this is the book for you! (Lisa M. Hendey CatholicMom.com)

Kerry Weber’s Mercy in the City is a must-read book for any contemporary Christian, but especially those in their twenties or thirties, looking to connect with their faith in a practical way. Like Pope Francis, who has called us to refocus on the mercy of God, Weber makes this central Gospel principle tangible with her relatable, insightful, and at times humorous delivery. You will love this book and be challenged by it too! (Daniel P. Horan, OFM)

Though Catholic in tradition, Weber’s book is catholic in spirit, that is, it provides a vision of everyday saintliness lived out by one who sees herself as being far from saintly. This is its strength and its inspiration.
  (Bruce Epperly)

Weber strives to be a contemplative in action, a person who finds God in all things, and who seeks out the liturgical practices of the Church to nourish the desire to give of herself in imitation of Christ. This sister in faith can help to strengthen those who are still finding their way in the Church, or perhaps who have even lost their way for a time. Mercy, she reminds us, is at the heart of Jesus’ mission.
  (Tim Muldoon)

With wit and wisdom, Kerry Weber explores what mercy means in the everyday world. Her clear, spare style reaches the heart and makes one seek just one more brief chapter before putting the book down. Weber focuses on Lent, but this literary treat holds nuggets for all year long. (Sr. Mary Ann Walsh)

This engaging book will take you to the heart of what it means to try to practice mercy in a cruel world. It helps us to remember that so much of what we take for granted -- food, water to drink, clothing, and shelter -- are a luxury to many, even in a land of plenty. From a soup line and homeless shelter to death row on San Quentin, the author makes us see the humanity of those we'd prefer to ignore. And if you're looking for a book that cites both Basil the Great and 'The Muppets Take Manhattan,' this is for you!
  (Kathleen Norris)

About this edition

• Publisher: Loyola Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0829438920
• ISBN 13: 9780829438925
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160