On Divine Mercy Sunday we read in Acts 2:44-45, “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need.”
Oh My Goodness! Can you imagine? Look at the example these disciples set. They heard the good news of Jesus’s resurrection. They believed and trusted. When they encountered the promises of the resurrection, they willingly sold assets and gave for the common good of all. What a great demonstration of detachment from material goods. What a legacy of faith and trust!
They gave and trusted that God would provide for them. They trusted God’s divine mercy and showed mercy by caring more for the needs of others than for their own. They were not coerced. In their joy over the good news of the resurrection, they couldn’t help it. They were more concerned with giving to the needs of the community than for their own financial comfort. That is a radical departure from common economic practice – then and now.
We know that living our Christian faith is counter cultural. The foundation of that is the mindset we as stewards embrace—namely, the truth that “It’s Not Mine.” Everything is a gift from God. Every moment of time, every ounce of talent, and every dime of treasure we have is because God gives them to us. We are to receive them gratefully, develop and manage them well, and use them for the good of all. In gratitude and with utmost humility, we are to return them with increase to the Lord.
What might our community be, what would our world look like if we all lived this way? What would your legacy be if you lived and gave in such radical faith?
When you do, how do you decide how much to give, and to whom? Look for charities that serve the poor and most vulnerable amongst us by feeding, clothing, housing, educating, and helping. Give to them.
St. Basil the Great said, “The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the one who needs it.”
Give in service to those most in need. Give because It’s Not Your Money.
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Palm Sunday kicks off the great paradox of Holy Week. Can you imagine God, the omniscient, omnipotent Creator of the universe, the source of all we are and all we have (you know – God!) willing to be humiliated in front of you? But that’s what He did:
How do you keep faith in situations that seem futile? I mean, look at what’s going on in our world: wars in Iran and Ukraine, ICE now deployed to airports, a college kid shot just walking across campus with a friend. World peace and brotherly love seem improbable at best if not impossible.
Bing Crosby croons, “Do you see what I see?” I know it’s Lent, but that Christmas song popped into my head when I heard Sunday’s first reading. It’s a great story in 1 Samuel 16 about God telling Samuel to go to Jesse’s house to anoint the new king that God has chosen to succeed Saul. Samuel sees the oldest son and how tall and good looking he is and says, “Surely, the anointed is here.” But God tells him not to judge from appearances; that He (God) does not see as we see. He looks into the heart.
We read in John 4:5-42 about Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. You know the story about how Jesus asks her for a drink, and in their back-and-forth, He teaches, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst.” She replies, “Sir, give me this water so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water (13-15).”