Carrying on the themes of practical fasting and almsgiving introduced by Isaiah at the beginning of Lent, Jesus in Mat 25: 31-46 also gives very specific examples of how to give alms: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirst, shelter to the homeless, clothing for the naked, caring for the ill and visiting prisoners. Just doing any one of these could be a full time job, and for some, it is. Questions arise, such as, "How can I do any of these with my busy life? How do I know that the person with the beaten up piece of cardboard announcing in pencil a "homeless veteran in need of food or a job" is legitimate? What do I do when a homeless person near a McDonalds asks for coins for a cup of coffee? Or how about the endless mailings from Feed the Children, the Salvation Army, this or that shelter? Sometimes we give, sometimes we hold back in doubt, frustration or anger. A couple of suggestions: Mother Teresa said something to the effect that we can't help ALL who ask, but we can help ONE. And it is always helpful to somehow see Jesus in the faces of those who ask, and let our kindness be done to and for HIM. We can offer prayers and our own sacrifices and fasting for the correction of a system which fosters such rampant poverty even here in the land of plenty.
Bro. Rene
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment