No cost. Free. Gratis. No deposit. No administration fees.
Think about these words that Jesus speaks to his disciples as He sends them out as ‘laborers for the harvest’. What an incredible gift of love He is giving (and which we still receive). In an era when everything seems to have strings, the freebie God (through Jesus) give us is a staggering, overwhelming, humbling, warming breath of fresh air—a lift up, a beautiful present from Someone who loves us. Isaiah says much the same thing: “God is coming. He will take care of you. He will make everything better.” (Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26)
Though there is no catch, there is an obligation: without cost, we, too, are to give. Continuing the mission of Jesus, we need to bring the good news to the lost souls of today. It can be as simple as a smile or a word or a helping hand. The distorted desire we meet in the street needs to see the light of the Truth. Then heart speaks to heart and the lost ones can be drawn to Jesus Christ. That’s the tricky part. But it’s so easy—we can give in so many different ways, from kindness, to acknowledgement, to service, to simple love.
Years ago, when my daughter Sarah was about 8 years old, we—Marilyn and I and kids—went to a restaurant downtown in a neighborhood that most people would consider dangerous, because one is always confronted by a panhandler—which, by the way, does not make the area “dangerous”, just “poor”.
Sarah could not finish her meal, so she asked the waitress to box it up so she could eat it the next day. On our way out we were approached by a disheveled man who asked for some money so he could “get something to eat”. My thought was “I just bet that’s why you want the money. To eat. Right. It’s probably to go down to the liquor store and buy a bottle of wine. I’m not going to help you kill yourself. So leave me alone.”
But before I could express those thoughts by simply ignoring the guy and walking along, I heard Sarah say, “Here, sir” as she handed her leftover meal to the man! He was so hungry he opened it right there and wolfed it down, proving that he was indeed hungry, and not ‘just another drunk’. He thanked Sarah for the food, said “God Bless you”, and moved on. I was so ashamed of myself that day, but thankful to God that he blessed me with such a compassionate child.
That is what we are to do as Catholic Christians. We light the lamp and place it on a stand and welcome any who wander into the circle. Even though it is difficult to fight the battle for hearts and minds, we are sometimes moved to pity and prayer by the illogic and sometimes sheer ill will we hear emerging. When you see a lost soul, one so wrapped up in himself or his ideas, pray for that person regardless of how you may feel about him. There have been times when I have had trouble getting along with some people for one reason or another. My brother Bob once gave me some advice that works for me every time that I encounter this problem. He said, “When you encounter these brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t seem to see eye-to-eye with you, pray harder for them.” What I have found out over the years is that when I do, my own heart softens, and their “faults” suddenly become the things I like most about them! These are the substantive steps that can be used to allow the Holy Spirit to lead each person to the triumph of the Father and the love of Jesus Christ.
I’m not one who succumbs to the easy assumption that the present age is worse, or eviler, or more problematic than prior historical periods. More complex? Yes. Worse? No. Still, when I am reminded of these examples and of Jesus’ commission to His disciples in Matthew’s Gospel, I am at peace. I feel God’s presence. I think that is His intention.
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