1. Admonish sinners: all Christians are called to teach people what is right and wrong, good and evil, virtuous and sinful. We are all sinners, but Our Lord came to call us to repentance, to conversion (cf. third Luminous Mystery), and has provided the means for that: the Sacrament of Confession.
2. Instruct the uninformed: there is so much ignorance about the most basic truths: the value of every human life, the grave evil of abortion, the purpose of sexuality, the meaning of lifelong marriage between one man and one woman, etc.
3. Counsel the doubtful: relativism rules in the media, the university, the whole of society… But there is absolute truth which we can know by reading, studying and consulting with persons and sources which are entirely trustworthy. There is the truth about God, man and the world. Christ entrusted his Church with the task of continuing his mission: to teach the way to the Father, to salvation.
4. Comfort the sorrowful: there are so many people who are hurting… in many cases because of the breakdown of our society. They come from broken marriages, broken homes; they have to live with the big mistakes they have made in their personal life… We can tell them that there is hope: God forgives us when we are sorry, and gives us the chance to rise up and begin again (a constant message in St. Josemaria).
5. Bear wrongs patiently: unfortunately there are forces in society today that are bent on eliminating any trace of natural law… Many people today are being deprived of their rights; they are treated unjustly on the job or in their business or in their private life. Of course, they have every right to defend themselves in keeping with the just laws of our country. And at the same time, they should appeal to God for his grace, mercy and strength to stand up for their rights and the rights of others. Christians have always been long-suffering but they, like St. Paul, have stood up for their rights not only for their own benefit but as an example and a help to others.
6. Forgive offenses: (cf. some of that in the previous point) as Our Lord taught us (in the Our Father) we must forgive others if we expect God to forgive us. We must learn to forgive in the home (husband, wife and children) and the broader family (in-laws) and with regard to neighbors (fellow parishioners as well), fellow workers, etc. Peter asked Our Lord: how often must I forgive? (You know the answer. Cf Mt. 18:21-22). 7. Pray for the living and the dead. Yes, we must pray. Have faith in the power of prayer. Prayer is all powerful: “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”(Jh 14:14 and other texts in Jh 14-16) We may be limited in what we can do for others (the corporal and the other spiritual works of mercy), but we are not limited when it comes to prayer. We can pray for every person, every need, everywhere! (The best way to pray is through the Holy Mass: the best of prayers.)