Fast Fridays: 30 Minutes for God: Difference between revisions
→Friday, Oct 25: The Limits of sins of omission
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I need your help on this one. | I need your help on this one. | ||
----This week Michael presented a dilemma as to the extent of charity. So happens that a former student's family is being kicked out of an apartment, as policies have changed and they can't stay in the place with their cat; they don't need help paying for another place but do need a co-signer. I am out of the co-signer game, having played that to ill effect in a prior life back when I had money. But, I want to help, so I am wondering if I am mistreating Jesus by not cosigning for a needing family? | |||
Dave points out the obvious: which is more important, their family security in a home they already have, or a cat? | |||
Which brings us to so much more: did I hurt the bum I gave a small tequila bottle that the store gave me at checkout? (He was sooo happy!) Should I give out five bucks instead of the twenty? To we measure our generosity by what we think is best for the recipient. Do we hold them to a degree of self-responsibility for their own actions? (We discussed a woman Dave knows who is broke and needing help because she is taking care of a sick dog she can't afford.) Dave quotes a friend on giving bums money: "That ten bucks isn't going to make him rich, and it won't make you poor." | |||
From there we got into Michael's dangerous territory of calling out people on virtue signaling by helping at soup kitchens. Bothers me that at the Catholic school I taught there was a lot of guilting into "doing good". Not a good thing to judge people on, Michael is correctly advised here. | |||
Nevertheless, we fell upon the idea that little things can make a huge difference, be it eliciting a smile with a quick joke, or just being kindly. I am reminded, however, that, as Saint Teresa of Avila advised (I think it's her): whatever you do, do it for God. Give, help, provide... but not for you, not for them, but for the glory of God. | |||
== Friday, Oct 18: what is our allegiance? == | == Friday, Oct 18: what is our allegiance? == | ||