"Christ made Himself poor for you". 2 Corinthians 8:9
Almsgiving, is responding to our neighbour’s needs to share whatever we possess. Each one of us is called to care for our neighbour.
"How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?" 1 John 3:17.
Everything, must be done for God’s glory and the well-being of our brothers and sisters, in imitation of Jesus Christ, who, dying on the cross, gave His entire self for us.
Sometimes it’s not the material things. Sometimes it could just be a hug, a kind word or the company of a person that eases the pain. It helps. I was hurt terribly with words I least expected. (Two weeks back (now 2 1/2 months) I was treated like a downtrodden person. I was in terrible pain (emotionally)). I couldn’t bear being alone. So I cried out to God in all my hurt.
We all need help. And sometimes when you see a person hurting, ask if you could help? If the answer is no, then just be seated by the side of the person-with no further words being said. Just be there for that person. Silence is a wonderful gift. If yes then words do wonders. In both the cases, give your time, give off yourself. This is an aching world. We all can be the face of God to the person who needs us.
I have often heard people boast of their generosity or how much they have given. But truly, your left hand must not know what your right hand does.
In Mangalore, there is a tough competition in rebuilding and building Church. My home-Church has set a task of accumulating a 96 lakh amount (and the stated amount in need, seems to be growing) just to have the Altar rebuilt and change the tiling – all this to cater to the needs of the people. This is the sentence they had printed on the pamphlet that I read. It took me by surprise. Too much money makes us deaf, blind and dumb. Every week there is an announcement and the name of the contributor with the amount is stated. How very low we fall?
We have several of the Church’s that I have seen in Mangalore that are breathtakingly beautiful. They are built lavishly. If all the people of the world were taken care of then, I don't think I would say anything. But there are so many people living in miserable conditions. Tell me would Jesus be happy if there would be Italian tiles or the Church was built of the most beautiful stones money could buy? Yes it is so wonderful when a congregation wants to help, but what about the people who go to sleep without food tonight? How would you answer Jesus?
The one, who knows that God "sees in secret" and in secret will reward, does not seek human recognition for works of mercy.
One of the Priests in charge, says the collection for the month in his parish is Rs.40.00. He calls them generous. It is a tribal area and there a lot many families and for them to give-which comes to that total Fr… says is unthinkable.
There are people who need our help.
Really what can you do with Rs.40.00 He never complained, he never told how difficult life is. He had come along with his fellow priest. And both looked happy. What is the secret?
Everything, must be done for God’s glory and the well-being of our brothers and sisters, in imitation of Jesus Christ, who, dying on the cross, gave His entire self for us.
Sometimes it’s not the material things. Sometimes it could just be a hug, a kind word or the company of a person that eases the pain. It helps. I was hurt terribly with words I least expected. (Two weeks back (now 2 1/2 months) I was treated like a downtrodden person. I was in terrible pain (emotionally)). I couldn’t bear being alone. So I cried out to God in all my hurt.
We all need help. And sometimes when you see a person hurting, ask if you could help? If the answer is no, then just be seated by the side of the person-with no further words being said. Just be there for that person. Silence is a wonderful gift. If yes then words do wonders. In both the cases, give your time, give off yourself. This is an aching world. We all can be the face of God to the person who needs us.
I have often heard people boast of their generosity or how much they have given. But truly, your left hand must not know what your right hand does.
In Mangalore, there is a tough competition in rebuilding and building Church. My home-Church has set a task of accumulating a 96 lakh amount (and the stated amount in need, seems to be growing) just to have the Altar rebuilt and change the tiling – all this to cater to the needs of the people. This is the sentence they had printed on the pamphlet that I read. It took me by surprise. Too much money makes us deaf, blind and dumb. Every week there is an announcement and the name of the contributor with the amount is stated. How very low we fall?
We have several of the Church’s that I have seen in Mangalore that are breathtakingly beautiful. They are built lavishly. If all the people of the world were taken care of then, I don't think I would say anything. But there are so many people living in miserable conditions. Tell me would Jesus be happy if there would be Italian tiles or the Church was built of the most beautiful stones money could buy? Yes it is so wonderful when a congregation wants to help, but what about the people who go to sleep without food tonight? How would you answer Jesus?
The one, who knows that God "sees in secret" and in secret will reward, does not seek human recognition for works of mercy.
That 96 lakhs is a lot of money. This Church was rebuilt 15 years back and is in very good shape. Every year there is some work done. We should be building people, not trying to put some jazzy tiles to the Church floor. Jesus does not ask for that. He asks for us to show mercy and compassion. We have none. And I really do understand we need to build a Church wherever needed, that is not the question.
There are people who need our help.
Really what can you do with Rs.40.00 He never complained, he never told how difficult life is. He had come along with his fellow priest. And both looked happy. What is the secret?
When we do things out of love, we express the truth of our being; that we have been created not for ourselves but for God and our brothers and sisters. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 2 Corinthians 5:15.
Mark 12:44 - speaks of the widow who, out of her poverty, cast into the Temple treasury "all she had to live on.” This widow gives to God not out of her abundance, not so much what she has, but what she is. Her entire self. Jesus gave His entire self for us. Through the practice of almsgiving, we learn to make of our lives a total gift; imitating Christ. We are to give of ourselves completely. The entire Gospel is summarized in the one commandment Love. The heart must GIVE ALL.
When we give, we grow to love and in doing so we recognize the poor Christ Himself. Peter in Acts 3:6 said to the cripple who was begging alms at the Temple gate: "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk".
When we give, we grow to love and in doing so we recognize the poor Christ Himself. Peter in Acts 3:6 said to the cripple who was begging alms at the Temple gate: "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk".
What is love? This was a song by HADDAWAY, with a question, somewhere in the 90’s I think.
All I remember of the song, is the lines that keep repeating itself,
Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more.
And that is the part of the lyric that each and everybody is singing all the time. HURT is the word that is in continuous motion.
You look at the world today and there are many you know who have sprawling land and money, they don’t know how to spend. Even though they buy everything they desire, there is still more they desire to have. And that is never going to be filled. But you know that is not really the reason they are given so much in access to. I know this is all a test. To see what we can do with what we are all given and how we reach out to the people who have nothing. There are many who have no roofs and there are many who have houses in every part of the continent. What is that?
I think if you took all the wealth placed it on one side of the globe and all the poor on the other side and let’s say you being the whatever title you call it are able to segregate it equally. Wouldn’t we have a chance to a fair world where no one is deprived of food and clothing. And everyone has a roof above their head. Wouldn’t we all be equals?
We are meant to share our resources with each other with love. See that is the way God looks at it from above. And that is what God expects of us. THIS IS A TEST!
All I remember of the song, is the lines that keep repeating itself,
Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more.
And that is the part of the lyric that each and everybody is singing all the time. HURT is the word that is in continuous motion.
You look at the world today and there are many you know who have sprawling land and money, they don’t know how to spend. Even though they buy everything they desire, there is still more they desire to have. And that is never going to be filled. But you know that is not really the reason they are given so much in access to. I know this is all a test. To see what we can do with what we are all given and how we reach out to the people who have nothing. There are many who have no roofs and there are many who have houses in every part of the continent. What is that?
I think if you took all the wealth placed it on one side of the globe and all the poor on the other side and let’s say you being the whatever title you call it are able to segregate it equally. Wouldn’t we have a chance to a fair world where no one is deprived of food and clothing. And everyone has a roof above their head. Wouldn’t we all be equals?
We are meant to share our resources with each other with love. See that is the way God looks at it from above. And that is what God expects of us. THIS IS A TEST!
Instead we fight and kill each other in the name of whatever reason we can find. We were not meant to live this way. We were not meant to be greedy, covetous. We were meant to be the Good Samaritan. We have lost our way. We are Paradise lost!
This is a TEST!
Think of Adam and Eve, what is the one thing they were told not to do. They were told by God, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."
They were given free access to Paradise.
They DISOBEYED, they ate the APPLE and lost Paradise.
Think of Adam and Eve, what is the one thing they were told not to do. They were told by God, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."
They were given free access to Paradise.
They DISOBEYED, they ate the APPLE and lost Paradise.
What is the thing that Jesus commanded us to do?
“You shall love the Lord your...God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and with all your strength....You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31
Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” John 13:34.
Jesus teaches that life can be summed up in terms of love of God, self and neighbour. God's love is steadfast and will never waver. The person who cooperates with the Holy Spirit will not waver in his/her love for God and his/her willingness to serve ones neighbour.
What does this imply? In simplicity, it means-
Jesus says, I love everybody and it is for each one of you that I left Heaven and came to live a life on Earth. I did not come to be served but I came to serve. I sacrificed. I died on the Cross, that you may have eternal live.
‘As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.’
Simply put, Jesus did His Fathers will by dying on the Cross. He paid it with His life.
All we need to do is simple share our resources with our lesser fortunate brothers and sisters. God does not expect everything we have. We are meant only to keep that much for the day. We are meant to share our resources. Life is short. It may mean just today. We are not to store things for tomorrow. Remember the journey to the Promised Land, the Israelites were told to take only that much food that was required for the day. If they took more than was required and it remained the next day, it turned to worms.
What does this imply? In simplicity, it means-
Jesus says, I love everybody and it is for each one of you that I left Heaven and came to live a life on Earth. I did not come to be served but I came to serve. I sacrificed. I died on the Cross, that you may have eternal live.
‘As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.’
Simply put, Jesus did His Fathers will by dying on the Cross. He paid it with His life.
All we need to do is simple share our resources with our lesser fortunate brothers and sisters. God does not expect everything we have. We are meant only to keep that much for the day. We are meant to share our resources. Life is short. It may mean just today. We are not to store things for tomorrow. Remember the journey to the Promised Land, the Israelites were told to take only that much food that was required for the day. If they took more than was required and it remained the next day, it turned to worms.
God does not withhold things from us. He continually blesses us. We are meant to bless each other. God never says don’t have fun. But yes as a Father, He would expect us to give more than a helping hand to our brothers and sisters.
That is what the old church did. They felt each other’s pain and were there for each other. This is our test. We are meant to share our resources. Not have houses here there and everywhere. This is precisely what Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-20 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.
We can’t take anything with us when we die. Naked we come, clothed we go. Okay that is funny. But really we don’t take anything and what is it that we so much hold on to. Money, land, titles, positions, accolades, certificates, and accreditations we are not going to take it with us. What is the point then? What you have won’t change your circumstances when you die. Jesus warned us in Matthew 6:19-20 (above)
So you contributed to building a church. You gave in to many charities. You were hailed by all. You were in many Church committees and maybe leading certain of them. Your name is everywhere. People speak highly of the contributions you made. But then again, you had it all. Tell me what was so difficult for you. You had an empire. Tell me what did it do to your heart? Jesus will only ask you one thing did you Love your neighbour as yourself.
Was everything you did, done with love? Did you give yourself to love? In the end love is the only thing that will save us. Love always wins! Not Gold, not money but love.
Obsession with wealth ruins our relationship with God and with people.
Our time on Earth is temporary. What’s valuable is treating people right, forgiveness and loyalty. We’re meant to love people. We are not to love possessions and use people. We are meant to share our resources not accumulate them. Remember, Jesus died on the CROSS for all of us. Therefore we must die to our selfishness in our love for all.
Obsession with wealth ruins our relationship with God and with people.
Our time on Earth is temporary. What’s valuable is treating people right, forgiveness and loyalty. We’re meant to love people. We are not to love possessions and use people. We are meant to share our resources not accumulate them. Remember, Jesus died on the CROSS for all of us. Therefore we must die to our selfishness in our love for all.
Let the words of Jesus always ring in, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” John 13:34.
God offers us a relationship with Him and nothing’s worth more than knowing Jesus.
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