Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD mentioned in his homily about a fundraising project called, Ballroom Dancing with the Poor. This was the title of a fundraising and society’s elite came in droves, bashed in elegance and glitter suited to the grand affair. They did not mind shelling out for the high-priced tickets, plus the hours of dance practice chic new clothes and makeovers in the parlors – it’s for charity’s sake.
According to Fr. San Luis, a woman about to go home after an enjoyable night of dancing, was standing outside waiting for her car. A group of beggars suddenly approached her and asked for alms. She ignored them until a beggar started pulling the side of her dress. She became angry and pushing them away, said: “Go away from me. You might ruin my expensive dress! Don’t you know that I spent so much for this fundraising just to be of help to you?”
Well, this woman characterizes our tragic attitude in sharing, that is, selective, lacking spontaneity and musing selective. I really like those words of somebody who said: “practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty,” because it shows these characteristics of what a true sharing is. We hold back and rather keep things for ourselves and justifiably say for future sufficiency because of our economic situation. We hoard according to the extent of our fear for the future and not according to what we need. As a result, food rot in our refrigerators, moths and cockroaches in our cabinets and lockers feast on our clothes as we spend our money on things that we can do well without. Lao Tzu said: “There is no greater calamity than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontentment. There is no greater disaster than greed.” Also, last night, when I open my Bible, I came across this passage from the Acts of the Apostles which says: “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” (20:35).
Today’s gospel, Jesus performs a miracle of the multiplication of the loaves from five barley loaves and two fish given and offered selflessly by a little boy who is eager and willing to share a little of what he has. Surprisingly, Jesus is pleased with the offer. He proceeds to use it to feed five thousand men excluding children and women.
What Jesus wanting for us to do in this gospel is that we should be ready and willing to share and to give what we have to others especially those who are in need, those who are lacking and those who are in trouble financially, emotionally and spiritually.
I think and I’m sure that God really designed and intentionally did it that some of us would receive more graces from Him. It would be a talent, a time or treasures, like money and wealth, in order to test these people how big, are their hearts. Those who those who receive these graces coming from God have the duty and obligation to give to those who are lacking materially and in need not only of material things but also of their supports and assistance in their political, economical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
If we don’t like to do all these things, just imagine that you are in their situation, that is, we the one being affected, what would be our reaction? Sad to say, those people who are given more than enough of what they need are like guitars that if nobody touch their strings they will not give their sounds of music. There are still so many whose consciences are numbed and callous, including mine and yours. We don’t like to share because we are afraid that those by which have given to us will be lessened or reduced. But can we bring all these things when we die?
It is said that there are seven kinds of giver. The first are those who are willing to give and they don’t want anybody would stop to do so. But they give not for others’ benefits but for themselves. So they are called auto-givers or self-providers.
Second are those who give but do not come from their hearts. They seldom give. So they are called, “Babaeng Nawawala sa Saril,” type of givers.
Third are those who give in order that their sins will be lessened. They give because their consciences keep on bothering them. They are called penitential givers.
Fourth are those who give in order that they become the center of attraction. They want to pictured and published in the newspapers. The media people should be around so that their charitable work is published in the newspapers, shown in television and aired in radio station. So they are called KSP (or Kulang Sa Pansin) givers.
Fifth are those who give because they don’t want to be criticized. They can give and we can count on them because they are rich. So they are called mabongga givers.
Sixth are those who think that they ought to give and it is their duty to give. And so they are called moral givers.
Lastly are those who love their fellow human being regardless of status. They have to give because they love them and not because they receive payment in return. When they give, it is really coming from their hearts. When they give they are happy for it. And so they are called spiritual givers.
My dear friends, to which of these seven types of giver do you belong? Then, let us reflect these words coming from John Michael Talbot, a Catholic musician: “God is the Master musician, we are His instruments. He crafts and tunes us. Christ is the Conductor who leads and guides those who play the music of the Master.”