Generosity

I am remembering those rules of my mother, during that “visiting” time these days, and I am convinced – now – that they helped me to understand how to be generous in spirit in ways that words probably never could. 

Lazarus and the Rich Man (Jacopo Bassano)

When I was a little girl, we used to go “visiting” on Sunday afternoons.  This meant that we would wear our best Sunday clothes and, after first Holy Mass, then lunch, our parents would drive us to visit one or other of their siblings or our grandparents. 

We would spend some time talking quietly or playing quietly with our cousins and, after a short time, we would go home.  Sometimes, we visited two or three families on a Sunday afternoon.  This was a very routine part of life in those days – especially before the shops began to open on Sundays and we slowly began to replace visiting with shopping…

One of my strongest memories of this time was the rules that my mother had around visiting.  When we visited someone, or someone visited us, we were required to be on our best behaviour.  We were expected to have the best of manners – especially with food and toys.  We could not – for example – take two cookies if we were offered cookies, we were allowed to take a maximum of one cookie, so that we would not be considered greedy.  And upon reflection, as an adult, it occurs to me that perhaps that rule was not only about the appearance of greed.  Perhaps it was about the formation of generosity?

Generosity is such an important virtue.  Without a generous heart how could I do basic things – like raise a family or care for my neighbour?  Without a generous heart, how could I follow the example of my Beloved – and in some way – lay down my life for my friend?

Christ told us how important generosity really is when He said…

“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom...” (Luke 16:19-31).

And I am remembering those rules of my mother, during that “visiting” time these days, and I am convinced – now – that they helped me to understand how to be generous in spirit in ways that words probably never could.  And I consider how much time my children and I spend shopping or alone instead of “visiting” – which we really never do anymore – and I wonder if there are skills that I am significantly negligent in teaching them?

And then I do as I always do when I worry about my children, I turn to God, and in this I know that we can certainly be safe, for – with Grace – He will instil in all of us a generous heart – if only we have learned to trust in HIM…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.