To relate the adjective “supererogatory” to modern slang, it describes someone who is “doing too much.” It comes from the Latin “supererogare,” meaning “pay in addition.” “Supererogatory” can describe any situation where someone is going above and beyond the required effort. In the Catholic Church, works of supererogation are actions that are believed to form a sort of reserve fund of merit that can be drawn on by prayer. Traditional works of supererogation include acts of charity, sacrifice, and devotion, above an expected amount.