DAILY HOMILIES #charity

The joy of Christmas is God giving away his only son, Jesus, to save mankind. When we give gifts to others during Christmas or even make time to be with others, regardless of what it costs us, we incarnate Jesus. No wonder in today’s Gospel passage, we hear John the Baptist saying: “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

Try to put yourself in this young man’s shoes and allow the words of Jesus to resound again in your ears: “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you possess and give to the poor.” Are you going to walk away? Will you bluff over this message and go about your normal day-to-day activities? Or will you take an excursion to your wardrobe and bring out clothes you no longer need so that you can clothe some poor people who cannot afford such?

St. Lawrence did not simply give to the poor; his giving was at the risk of his own life. Jesus says that unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it remains alone, but after it dies, it bears much fruit. It is always painful whenever we make sacrifices for God’s sake, but we must remember that our pain, like the death of the seed buried under the ground, will yield a great harvest.

There are no perfect families. There are only human families, and humans have flaws, weaknesses and limitations. St. Paul would say: “The good I want to do, I don’t do it, but I end up doing the evil I don’t want.” You may not be happy about your family, but do not assume your family is the worst. It is with this understanding that our readings today offer us useful tips on how to improve the situation of our families.

Inflamed by the Holy Spirit, Jesus visited Simon’s house, where he healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and that same night, the whole community brought to Jesus their sick and possessed relatives. Jesus healed both physical and spiritual ailments. He remains for us a healer. Nevertheless, to be admitted into Dr. Jesus’ clinic, we must go with our cards, which is faith (positive expectation).

St. Lawrence did not simply give to the poor; his giving was at the risk of his own life. Jesus says that unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it remains alone but bears much fruit after it dies. It is always painful whenever we make sacrifices for God’s sake, but we must remember that our pain, like the death of the seed buried under the ground, will yield a great harvest. Let us learn from Lawrence the need to be charitable and the willingness to let go of our life to have a better life in heaven.

Jesus is teaching us first to think carefully like this steward of what shall become of us after our death (when we are relieved of our stewardship) and secondly, to use “what does not belong to us now” to be charitable to others so that like this steward, we would be welcomed into Paradise.

If we are to understand hell as the place of the unfaithful, it follows that there is a place other than heaven and hell where souls go to receive either severe or light beating. This place is what the church calls purgatory. As the Catechism puts it: “Purgatory is the final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.” (CCC 1030-1031) This purification is done so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

Whatever may have caused the priest and the Levite to pass this man by, Jesus did not tell us but Jesus only mentioned that they failed to help the man. When it comes to helping the needy, no excuse is valid. Think of this, that person you see in need of your help today may just be your last chance. He or she may have been sent your way to test you. Do not keep on till tomorrow what you can do today. One thing that tends to prevent us from helping others is bitterness. You may have been hurt in the past, perhaps in your attempt to be kind to others, they repaid your good with evil, and so on. Remember, that person may just be you and you too would expect someone to help you. As Moses tells us in our first reading, we don’t need somebody to go to heaven to bring down God’s commandments, they are right in our hearts. Listen to your heart. Follow your conscience. Help, don’t hinder. Go and do like the Samaritan.

Instead of complaining about not having this or that, instead of saying you don’t have as much as you desire, why not open your eyes to the even worse conditions of many around you? Why not remind yourself that soon enough, you would have to relinquish everything you are working and praying hard now to get.

Fast from selfishness, fast from self-centeredness, leave your comfort zone, visit the poor, the lonely, the oppressed, those who have nowhere to stay or cannot afford to buy clothes, and help as much as you can.

So how do we render Pure Worship to God? St. James answers: CHARITY to the orphans, widows, the afflicted, the needy etc. (Corporal Works of Mercy) alongside PURITY; freedom from immorality in our world.