Word to the Wise
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - Eleventh Wednesday in Ordinary Time
[2 Corinthians 9:6-11 and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18]Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
St.Paul is trying to get the Corinthians to give generously to a collection to alleviate famine in Jerusalem. He has already held up the example of the Macedonians for generosity even when they were suffering. One thing this points out to me is that fundraising for worthy causes in the church is nothing very new! I belong to a religious order that historically embraced "mendicancy" as a way of life. Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites and other orders of friars were known as "mendicant orders" because they went out in public to beg for food and donations for their communities. This was not permitted to monks who belonged to monasteries and as a rule did not go out in public. Every religious order knows that it survives largely on the freewill offerings of generous people. The income generated by pastoral work is never enough to take care of the seminarians (who do not hold pastoral positions with salaries) or our brothers on limited service (our notion of retirement) who for reasons of health or age are unable to work full time or at all. Each year each friar in our province is expected to participate in the 1216 CAMPAIGN and to contact friends and acquaintances to ask for donations to our Southern Dominican Province. This process is, for some, very hard since they do not like to ask for money. Since I have had to serve as a superior and a treasurer and as a formation person, I know very well how dependent we are on the generosity of our friends. So, I dutifully send out the cards and when I learn of a donation, I also send a note of gratitude. St. Paul's words to the Corinthian community are truly a pep-talk to prospective fundraisers and donors. Note the last words: You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God. I surely hope that is true in my case because I would not want to waste the generous resources of so many friends. Many thanks to all who help! AMEN
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