Mary Pezzulo is a Catholic woman, with a young family. She lives in Steubenville, Ohio, where she had, at one time, hoped to study for a master’s degree in philosophy. She has a degree in English, but felt she wanted to learn more about faith, holiness, and God. Her plans came to very little when she became chronically ill with fibromyalgia. She, her husband, and little girl were living in poverty and it was during this time that her awareness of the goodness and grace of God increased enormously, leading to her desire to share her thoughts and belief with others.
I have to say that I am not a Catholic, but a member of the Church of England, so many of the things that the author wrote about were new to me. I was not aware of the Works of Mercy, but as a Christian, the actuality of them is completely familiar.
The author spent time on each of the Works of Mercy – Feed the Hungry, Instruct the Ignorant, Give Drink to the Thirsty, through to the fourteenth, Pray for the Living and the Dead. I think she dealt with each topic very well, using day to day examples from her life to illustrate how one can try to fulfil each Work of Mercy and in this way, “stumble into grace”. Each section showed how the author and her family had been the subject of the works of mercy in their lives. She then went on to give examples of how we, as Christians can fulfil God’s work. Each section ends with a prayer.
At the end of the book, there are addresses and websites that may be useful, and also details of the author’s blog. Obviously, the book is more relevant for American readers, but there is plenty here for anyone who wishes to think more about the Christian life, wherever they may live.

Stumbling Into Grace: How We Meet God in Tiny Works of Mercy is a gem of a book. Author Mary Pezzulo offers a fount of wisdom for nurturing souls and nourishing bodies with her recommendations for spreading grace.

Pezzulo offers a first-hand account of the pain of poverty and how kind souls can help alleviate it. She does not shy away from tough issues such as spiritual abuse, but addresses them head-on in a refreshingly forthright manner.

Pezzulo's personal stories, such as those dealing with the threat of having one's water supply cut off, touch the heart and prick the conscience. She offers loving advice for addressing the needs of the most vulnerable among us.

This gifted author challenges us to do more--whether in the realm of corporal works of mercy such as feeding the hungry, or spiritual works of mercy such as comforting the afflicted. With Pezzulo as our guide, we can become more loving and more understanding of our neighbor.