//Life Is//
Some of the Most Beautiful, Wisest, Kindest, Happiest, and Generous People . . .
Difficult Teachings – Live Generously
Daily Reflection – Generous Giving
Minute Meditation – Hope Blossoms in Mercy
“So many people ask to be listened to and to be understood. The Gospel of mercy requires generous and joyful servants, people who love freely without expecting anything in return. ‘Peace be with you!’ (John 20:21) is the greeting of Jesus to his disciples; this same peace awaits men and women of our own day.… It is a peace that does not divide but unites; it is a peace that does not abandon us but makes us feel listened to and loved; it is a peace that persists even in pain and enables hope to blossom. This peace, as on the day of Easter, is born ever anew by the forgiveness of God which calms our anxious hearts.” —Pope Francis
The story of Thomas in the Upper Room is a clear example of Jesus meeting us in those wounded places in our lives and wordlessly offering us whatever we need to move beyond the hurt into a place of healing, trust, and peace. He doesn’t scold Thomas for needing proof; he doesn’t condemn him for a lack of faith. He holds out his hands and gives Thomas what he needs. We each have our own struggles with faith, with trust, with love, whether in our relationships with others, our connection to a church community, our responsibilities at home, at work, in school. As we place our needs before God’s loving mercy, we open ourselves to receive whatever gesture of peace he offers us. Mercy is the sign of God’s ongoing presence in the world. Few people have made this more clear and compelling than Pope Francis. And it’s not just about realizing that God is merciful to us. It’s realizing that we are now called, compelled, even commanded to be merciful to all those people we meet.
In his preaching on mercy, Pope Francis often emphasizes the importance of listening compassionately to people who are wounded, struggling, searching for God’s love. So often we want to rush in to fix other people’s lives. The next time you feel this urge, take a step back and first simply listen to and love the person before you. God’s peace passes all our human understanding. And often it lies beyond our limited human words.
— from the book The Hope of Lent: Daily Reflections from Pope Francis,
by Diane M. Houdek
//Franciscan Media//
Give Us This Day – She Didn’t Hold Back
What does it mean to be identified with a city? Jesus is sometimes written off as a Nazarene, the “son of the carpenter,” whose family members are known to the townspeople of Nazareth. In contrast to Nazareth, Mary Magdalene’s hometown was a reason to respect her.
Magdala was not only a particular village but a whole commercial fishing district all along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was an economic hub, the center of a thriving salted-fish export business involving Jewish fishermen and Roman shippers. The spare references in Luke 8:1-4 suggest that Mary of Magdala was known for her power to lead others, that she enjoyed economic autonomy and shared generously. If she’d been freed of seven demons, what an abundance of health, magnetism, freedom, and joyous energy must have struck everyone who met her!
And yet when Mary Magdalene met Jesus in the garden after his resurrection, she had every basis for disorientation and distraction. The Passover festival time had turned into a nightmare, got upended by the arrest and execution of her teacher and friend, and she didn’t know what to expect. Fear, helplessness, grief, confusion, disbelief. But re-centered by her personal encounter with Jesus, she found her emotional grounding and didn’t lose her voice. She went back to the male disciples and reported what she saw and heard.
She didn’t hold back. She spoke with energy and passion. That’s why we love her and remember her. May the force of both her financial generosity and truth-telling inspire us during these Easter days.
Daily Devotion – Willing Generosity
| “In a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality … They gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints.” – 2 Corinthians 8:2-4 NASB The churches of Macedonia had to endure afflictions and trials. They experienced stress and pressure and faced oppression and tribulation. They had many needs and struggled with poverty. It would have been understandable if they hoarded their resources and focused on themselves. But, instead, they demonstrated a remarkable spirit of generosity. They focused on ways they could give to help others. They did not just give a little, but they gave above and beyond what Paul expected. And their actions were voluntary. They begged to be able to give! What was their motive? They were generous and eager to give because they had dedicated themselves to the Lord. They were His and committed everything to Him. They were obedient to God’s commands to give generously to the work of the Gospel. They were willing to trust in Him for every need and every problem they faced. The Bible urges us to be like these Macedonians. People in the world may be self-centered and only think about themselves. But God’s people should be sold out for Him. They should be sowing liberally into His Kingdom with their time, talents, and treasures – their “seeds.” Seek every opportunity to give to God’s work. Don’t be reluctant, but give freely and with joy. Remember that He promises to multiply your gifts. Be confident that He will provide for your needs. Let Him use you to bless others and impact lives for His kingdom. Prayer Father, I desire to serve You with all my resources and abilities. I long to give to Your kingdom. I trust in You. In Jesus’ name, amen. Extended Reading: 2 Corinthians 8 |
How to Be More Generous
In our heart of hearts we all know how important it is to share and give to others (and how good it makes us feel when we do). But how do you become a truly generous person? And is it even possible when you’re super busy or feeling broke?
The fact is, generosity is first and foremost an attitude, a way of being in the world, and a commitment to follow through on our desire to give and share with others. Here are six ways you can become a more generous person…
1. COMMIT TO DOING ONE GENEROUS ACT PER DAY.vvEvery day, make a point to do one truly generous thing. Maybe it’s buying lunch for the homeless man who hangs out near your office building. Maybe it’s taking a few minutes out of your day to talk to a neighbor. Perhaps it’s giving $10 to a fundraiser you see on your social media feed that tugs on your heartstrings. Whatever it is — and no act is too small — daily acts of giving will build your generosity muscle.
2. GIVE TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS. In the Bible, Jesus tells us to give to anyone who asks. That sounds a little unrealistic, doesn’t it? I mean, if you opened up your wallet every time someone asked you for money, you could end up broke. But giving isn’t first and foremost about money; it’s about giving yourself in some way. Can you be a listening ear for someone or give a word of encouragement? Can you spare a short prayer? How about sharing some helpful resources or a particular talent or? There is always something to give when someone asks.
Remember, generosity is about so much more than doling out money or material goods; it’s primarily an attitude and a way of being.
3. GIVE YOUR GOOD STUFF. Many of us clear out our closets and give our old things to the poor. But is that the best we can do? What if we started giving our good stuff, items we actually enjoy or even want, but don’t need as much as someone else? Giving something we actually like might hurt a little, but it can help us grow. It also honors the dignity of the person we are giving it to.
4. REACH OUT TO SOMEONE WHO’S LONELY. Mother Theresa once said that loneliness is the greatest kind of poverty. And there are lonely people everywhere – in our neighborhoods, schools, churches, streets, even the grocery store. We don’t always know who is lonely, but we can be kind to strangers, offer a smile or a helping hand when we’re out and about, and regularly call relatives and friends who live alone or are going through hard times.
5. IDENTIFY A COUPLE OF WORTHY ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMIT TO SUPPORTING THEM. One of the best ways to be more generous is to support worthy causes and organizations. Which ones speak to you the most? Which ones do you believe are really making a difference in the world? Commit to the ones that are most important to you and make a point to support them regularly in whatever way works for your budget
6. GIVE A LITTLE MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU CAN. Every time you give to someone, challenge yourself to go just a bit further. If you’re about to write a check for $20, make it $25. If you’re going to donate a coat, throw in a scarf, too. If you want to buy a homeless person a cup of coffee, add a sandwich. If you challenge yourself to stretch just a bit more out of your comfort zone, you will grow in your generosity.
Remember, generosity is about so much more than doling out money or material goods; it’s primarily an attitude and a way of being. By intentionally practicing regular acts of giving and sharing, you will indeed become a more generous person — and be all the happier for it.
6 Ways to Be a More Generous Person
In our heart of hearts we all know how important it is to share and give to others (and how good it makes us feel when we do). But how do you become a truly generous person? And is it even possible when you’re super busy or feeling broke?
The fact is, generosity is first and foremost an attitude, a way of being in the world, and a commitment to follow through on our desire to give and share with others. Here are six ways you can become a more generous person…
1. COMMIT TO DOING ONE GENEROUS ACT PER DAY.Every day, make a point to do one truly generous thing. Maybe it’s buying lunch for the homeless man who hangs out near your office building. Maybe it’s taking a few minutes out of your day to talk to a neighbor. Perhaps it’s giving $10 to a fundraiser you see on your social media feed that tugs on your heartstrings. Whatever it is — and no act is too small — daily acts of giving will build your generosity muscle.
2. GIVE TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS.In the Bible, Jesus tells us to give to anyone who asks. That sounds a little unrealistic, doesn’t it? I mean, if you opened up your wallet every time someone asked you for money, you could end up broke. But giving isn’t first and foremost about money; it’s about giving yourself in some way. Can you be a listening ear for someone or give a word of encouragement? Can you spare a short prayer? How about sharing some helpful resources or a particular talent or? There is always something to give when someone asks.
Remember, generosity is about so much more than doling out money or material goods; it’s primarily an attitude and a way of being.
3. GIVE YOUR GOOD STUFF.Many of us clear out our closets and give our old things to the poor. But is that the best we can do? What if we started giving our good stuff, items we actually enjoy or even want, but don’t need as much as someone else? Giving something we actually like might hurt a little, but it can help us grow. It also honors the dignity of the person we are giving it to.
4. REACH OUT TO SOMEONE WHO’S LONELY.Mother Theresa once said that loneliness is the greatest kind of poverty. And there are lonely people everywhere – in our neighborhoods, schools, churches, streets, even the grocery store. We don’t always know who is lonely, but we can be kind to strangers, offer a smile or a helping hand when we’re out and about, and regularly call relatives and friends who live alone or are going through hard times.
5. IDENTIFY A COUPLE OF WORTHY ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMIT TO SUPPORTING THEM. One of the best ways to be more generous is to support worthy causes and organizations. Which ones speak to you the most? Which ones do you believe are really making a difference in the world? Commit to the ones that are most important to you and make a point to support them regularly in whatever way works for your budget
6. GIVE A LITTLE MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU CAN. Every time you give to someone, challenge yourself to go just a bit further. If you’re about to write a check for $20, make it $25. If you’re going to donate a coat, throw in a scarf, too. If you want to buy a homeless person a cup of coffee, add a sandwich. If you challenge yourself to stretch just a bit more out of your comfort zone, you will grow in your generosity.
Remember, generosity is about so much more than doling out money or material goods; it’s primarily an attitude and a way of being. By intentionally practicing regular acts of giving and sharing, you will indeed become a more generous person — and be all the happier for it.