Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Ephesians 2:1-10; Luke 12:13-21)
The Christian Foundation for Children and Aging connects Catholics with means in the United States to people with significant depravation in developing twenty-two countries. Working through itinerant priests preaching in parishes around the U.S., CFCA has established 300,000 helping relationships. In each relationship a sponsor family or individual gives thirty dollars a month to support a poor child or family. Can we not call CFCA a significant way of conforming to the Lord’s will in today’s gospel?
Jesus especially in the Gospel according to Luke excludes no sociological group from the graces of the kingdom. Rather, he invites both rich and poor to experience eternal life. But he also indicates that the wealthy have to demonstrate their trust in God by using their resources to assist the needy. He does not say that they must give up everything, but he does condemn the hoarding of resources for their personal benefit.
We should not think that it is wrong to build up an IRA; but as we do that, we should also be thinking of how we might help the poor. The Church has numerous organizations which could use our financial support. In contributing significantly to them we will have what might be termed a spiritual nest egg redeemable for eternal love and peace.
