f Our
Lord; and also to remind us of His own fast of forty days before His
Passion.

Q. 808. What do we mean by "almsgiving"?
A. By almsgiving we mean money, goods, or assistance given to the poor
or to charitable purposes. The law of God requires all persons to give
alms in proportion to their means.

Q. 809. What "ills of life" help to satisfy God for sin?
A. The ills of life that help to satisfy God for sin are sickness,
poverty, misfortune, trial, affliction, &c., especially, when we have
not brought them upon ourselves by sin.

Q. 810. How did the Christians in the first ages of the Church do
Penance?
A. The Christians in the first ages of the Church did public penance,
especially for the sins of which they were publicly known to be guilty.
Penitents were excluded for a certain time from Mass or the Sacrament,
and some were obliged to stand at the door of the Church begging the
prayers of those who entered.

Q. 811. What were these severe Penances of the First Ages of the Church
called?
A. These severe penances of the first ages of the Church were called
canonical penances, because their kind and duration were regulated by
the Canons or laws of the Church.

Q. 812. How can we know spiritual from corporal works of mercy?
A. We can know spiritual from corporal works of mercy, for whatever we
do for the soul is a spiritual work, and whatever we do for the body is
a corporal work.

Q. 813. {222} Which are the chief spiritual works of mercy?
A. The chief spiritual works of mercy are seven: To admonish the sinner,
to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the doubtful, to comfort the
sorrowful, to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive all injuries, and to
pray for the living and the dead.

Q. 814. When are we bound to admonish the sinner?
A. We are bound to admonish the sinner when the following conditions are
fulfilled: (1) When his fault is a mortal sin; (2) When we have
authority or influence over him, and (3) When there is reason to believe
that our warning will not make him worse instead of better.

Q. 815. Who are meant by the "ignorant" we are to instruct, and the
"doubtful" we are to counsel?
A. By the ignorant we are to instruct and the doubtful we are to
counsel, are meant those particularly who are ignorant of the truths of
religion and those who are in doubt about matters of faith. We must aid
such persons as far as we can to know and believe the truths necessary
for salvation.

Q. 816. Why are we advi