Seton Magazine Catholic Homeschool Articles, Advice & Resources
The Call To Generosity
When we are faced with the reality of poverty, what should our response be as Catholic Christians? In the Gospel of Matthew, our Lord says “When I was hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink. When when I was naked, you gave me clothing. Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.” Our Lord Himself calls all of us to respond to the needs of the poor with a spirit of generosity. In Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, we read, “You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God, for the administration of this public service is not only supplying the needs of the holy ones but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God.” When we respond to God’s call to generosity, the faith and hope of needy families become more and more strengthened. Your generosity can be an answer to another needy family’s prayer.
Seven Simple Steps
1. Strive to practice moderate consumption
Click here to read my article on Moderate Consumption: The 3rd Principle of the Simple Life.
2. Start with your own family
The corporal and spiritual works of mercy begin in the home. Making meals for the family, doing laundry, and changing diapers are all opportunities to practice the corporal works of mercy. Teaching our children catechism through word and deed is an essential spiritual work of mercy as well.
3. Go local
Support your community by donating your time, talent or treasure at local food banks, St. Vincent De Paul Society thrift shops, crisis pregnancy centers and soup kitchens. If any of your children are receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this year, supporting the needs of your local community is a wonderful way to earn service hours.
4. Go international
Research reputable charitable organizations and consider: sponsoring a child or an elderly person from another country, sponsoring a seminarian, supporting reputable fair trade websites that help provide income to third world artisans and their families.
5. Be inspired by Scripture
In Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, we read, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others.” St. Peter also writes,“As generous distributors of God’s manifold grace, put your gifts at the service of one another, each in the measure he has received.” Psalm 146 reads, “Blessed is he who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.”
6. Learn from the Saints
St. Vincent De Paul writes, “Oh, how great must be the love that the Son of God bears to the poor! For He chose the state of poverty, He wished to be called the teacher of the poor, and counts most especially as done to Himself whatever is done for His poor.” He further writes, “Fraternal charity…makes us known as the true disciples of Christ divine, for it was this divine virtue that moved Him to live a life of poverty and to die in destitution upon the Cross. Therefore, when we find opportunities of suffering for charity, we ought to bless God for them.”
7. Consider giving to a needy family
Pray and ask our Lord if there is a family in your area who may be in need. Your gift need not always be monetary in nature. You may offer food, clothes, or time and compassion to someone who needs a shoulder to cry on. The most important thing, once again, is to always have a spirit of prayer and discernment so that your act of generosity always “produces thanksgiving to God.”
Simple living allows us the freedom to help improve the lives of those who are less fortunate than us. Poverty awareness gives us an opportunity to live in a spirit of generosity, and in doing so, we become instruments of hope for those whose lives seem hopeless.
And as far as my childhood memory, Lolo’s kindness, gentleness and generosity towards his poor friend will forever be etched in my heart and soul. And despite My Friend’s poverty, illness and pain, he seemed to have unlocked the key to lasting freedom. Because he was so poor, he knew that his survival depended upon a merciful God and the generosity of his kind neighbors. He didn’t doubt God’s providential love, and he was free from the usual worries most of us still struggle with today. In the eyes of the world, he was the epitome of poverty, owning nothing but the clothes on his back and an old, rusty tin can.
But in the eyes of this four-year-old little girl, it was as if she had met the richest person in the world.
Header Image CC Thomas Hawk
