Pope Francis celebrating Holy Thursday Mass in a juvenile prison makes me uncomfortable - uncomfortable with how little I reach out to those most in need. Uncomfortable with the fact that "meaning" to donate to charity so often turns into forgetting to donate. Uncomfortable because the clothes I bagged up for C-Cap are STILL sitting in a trash bag in my laundry room not doing anyone any good! Uncomfortable with how easily I bask comfortably in the "piety" and "orthodoxy" of my life.
But it does not just make me uncomfortable; it's also inspiring. It reminds me of how Jesus both made people uncomfortable and inspired them by forcing them to think about those they had written off. Think lepers, tax collectors, prostitutes, Samaritans, adulterous women. Pope Francis is doing the same thing for us.
I'm very good at coming up with the things I can't do because I don't have the time, I can't afford it, or it's not compatible with my vocation. When it comes to thinking about what I can do, that's where I fall short. Here are some new resolutions and I'm hoping that sharing them will help me to follow through. :-)
Give to charity with the same consistency and regularity that we pay our mortgage. Setting up monthly credit/debit cards payments is the way to go for me.
Bring the bag of clothes to C-Cap the next time I go out!
Put a few dollars in an envelope every time I treat myself or my family and give it to the Pregnancy Center next Easter.
Make a point of celebrating Christmas with a visit to a nursing home. Maybe bring goodies and homemade cards.
Most importantly, be open to new ways that I'm being called to give and keep paying attention to our wonderful new pope!
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