Wisdom in Giving - Lessons from the Rich Man

God does not call us to be miserable; He calls us to remember that what we have on this world is not important, so that our lives may serve His will above all things.

By Mark McDermott

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It can be hard to translate the call of God into concrete action – the opportunities to act can seem both overwhelmingly broad and confining at the same time. Consider the World Food Day awareness event on October 16th, which seeks to educate about hunger crises around the world. Just through CRS, there are opportunities to combat world hunger financially, through prayer, and through legislative advocacy – one of our members recently published an advocacy article in a local newspaper (see resources below). We don’t want people to go hungry, but how much, and in what way, are is one person supposed to give?

Jesus’s statements in the Gospel this week appear to apply an uncomfortable imperative. Is it really necessary for all people to forsake all of their worldly possessions to have any hope of salvation? This approach to almsgiving or fundraising is likely to be rebuffed: a “suggested donation amount” of “all worldly possessions” seems most likely to be met with no gift at all.

The difficulty here is that Jesus is speaking, as is so often the case, in analogy. When the disciples implore, “ ‘Who, then, can be saved?’ ” Jesus’s response is “ ‘For human beings it is impossible’ ” – even in reference to Peter, James, and the others listening who had truly left their livelihoods to walk with Jesus. Surely, the apostles provide an example for us, so there must be a deeper meaning to Jesus’s words here.

There is, in fact, a practical interpretation. If everyone in the world dropped what they were doing to become travelling missionaries as the Twelve did, farms would not produce crops, houses would not be built, hospitals would stop running. Jesus is not saying that all of these occupations, and the life that they enable for the entire world, are all misguided. Rather, he is reminding us that we must answer the call of God before any pressures we feel coming from these worldly occupations. The Twelve were called by the Person of Christ, Incarnate on earth, because Jesus needed to reveal the complete message of salvation to at least some over the course of his time with them (see our previous blog post). This is the tragedy of the rich young man: even seeing the power of God made flesh, he refuses to be changed. He simply hopes for confirmation that what he is already doing is enough.

This, indeed, is wisdom: the connection to God that esteems “riches nothing in comparison” (Wisdom 7:9). It’s not that we can’t have a roof over our heads, or basic comforts and necessities, provided we recall in true faith that these things do not matter to God. What matters to God ultimately are the “reflections and thoughts of the heart” for which “we must render an account” to God (Hebrews 4:12-13). A job may be a necessity to survive, but in spirit we must remain willing to respond to the voice of Christ with everything we have: with our wealth, with our time, with our energy, with our “soul and spirit, joints and marrow” (Hebrews 4:12).

The answer that “service comes in different forms” does not provide clarity. But there is no single answer because our physical limitations as humans – to say nothing of our imperfect judgement – render it impossible for us to make decisions perfect enough to fully realize God’s will. Instead, we must offer our decisions up to God as best we can.

This wisdom is all the more important in the modern world when there are so many competing claims – legitimate and fraudulent – on our time and resources. Moreover, by being good stewards of our resources, we may enable ourselves to contribute even more. We can pray for wisdom to discern whether our method of stewardship is genuine or self-serving – ultimately, God only knows, for nothing “is concealed from him” (Hebrews 4:13).

The readings this week remind us to be prudent with our resources: prudent in remembering that nothing we have is ours, but is only for the greater glory of God. As long as we devote our lives to that, rather than just the raw accumulation of wealth, then we have forsaken wealth for wealth’s own sake – and maybe then God can help us to pass through the eye of the needed to reach salvation.

CRS has many ways to how God may be calling out this fall.

• Start supporting in the fall, before the hardships of winter set in around the world.

• Reach out to Congressional representatives using resources here and the contact form on this page. See that National Call for additional recommendations on advocacy, and submit our contact form to become a member of our chapter adn find additional resources on key issues.

• Join us in the Month of the Rosary to pray for a resolution to suffering from ongoing wars and droughts.

CRS is, of course, not the only good cause to contribute to. But it is directed by the prudence of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and with that direction and application of 94% of funds to programs, perhaps it’s easier to discern if time and treasure is used with wisdom through CRS. We are fortunate that some have been called to work full-time at CRS, helping to ensure that the resources received are used judiciously, while others can continue to work to supply those resources.

            Please consider how you can give and serve, and feel free to reach out with questions or just to share your prayers and support. We cannot all give everything, but we set all that we do have at the feet of the Lord and allow Him to show us where it can serve our sisters and brothers in need.