Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
(II
Corinthians 9:6-11; Matthew 6:1-6.16-18)
Henri
Nouwen was one of the most noted spiritual writers of the second half of the
last century. He wrote columns and books
on how to live the gospel every day. At
some point he turned his attention to fundraising. He explained to those working in development
for the Church how to serve God better.
Nouwen
wrote that fundraising is not begging.
Rather it is projecting a vision for the Church and asking people to
share it with their money. In short, it
is a way to involve people in the Church’s ministry. He also saw fundraising as a call to
conversion. Both fundraisers and potential
benefactors are called to change their perspective. They have to come to terms that God’s new
project has a role for them.
We hear
about St. Paul’s fundraising project in the first reading these last few days. He is calling the community in Corinth to
help support the Christians in Jerusalem.
He is asking them to look beyond their own needs to people in
distress. He no doubt sees assistance as
solidification of the Jew and non-Jew communion that the Church is called to
be.
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