Give Them Some

Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop, and Doctor of the Church

From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace is recognized as truly sent by the LORD only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled.  Jeremiah 28:8-9

“This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”  Matthew 14:15-16

Piety

In honour of St. Alphonsus Rodríguez,

Lay brother of the Society of Jesus

HONOUR is flashed off exploit, so we say;

And those strokes once that gashed flesh or galled shield  

Should tongue that time now, trumpet now that field,       

And, on the fighter, forge his glorious day.      

On Christ they do and on the martyr may;      

But be the war within, the brand we wield

Unseen, the heroic breast not outward-steeled,

Earth hears no hurtle then from fiercest fray.

                                                       

Yet God (that hews mountain and continent,   

Earth, all, out; who, with trickling increment,  

Veins violets and tall trees makes more and more)   

Could crowd career with conquest while there went  

Those years and years by of world without event     

That in Majorca Alfonso watched the door.      

Study

Yesterday, Phil Russell (and whoever offered the homily at the Mass you joined in celebrating) provided us with a reflection on the rich fool.  The Rich Fool saved up stores of grain in his barn instead of seeking what is above.  Unbeknown to the rich fool himself, the man would die that very night while building yet bigger barns to hold riches that he could not take with him to heaven.

Thus, we started the week with an important lesson about the evils of hoarding large amounts of riches.  Today’s scripture follows that up and builds upon it with a lesson about the benefits of sharing what little we might have.  If yesterday was the Parable of the Rich Fool, today’s reading might be called the Parable of the Poor Fools (aka the Disciples).  

The “war” of striving for Christian holiness does not always include the flash of honor and renown.  Sometimes, it works in minute steps that are almost imperceptible.  While history and Roman armies march by, some must be charged with simpler duties.  Martha-like hospitality.  Brother Alfonso of the Hopkins poem quoted above offered the wisdom of his whole life as the porter of the door at the seminary in Majorca for 40 years. “A mere porter for a life time, a gate keeper, yet his eyes always on Christ,” said poet William Breault, SJ. 

The disciples played the poor fool to Christ offering all five loaves and two fish – which ended up being blessed and broken to feed more than five thousand men plus the women and children.

Action

To whom will you offer some of your food today? 

Give Them Some.  Give Some to Them.  Give to SOME and they will be fed.

S.O.M.E. (http://some.org/)

Your donation will provide food for the hungry and homeless, medical care for the sick and other services that protect and transform the lives of the homeless and poor in our community.  You can give online, by phone, by mail or many other ways. Give them some before the sun goes down.