IT IS ONE THING TO GIVE CHARITY. IT IS ANOTHER THING ENTIRELY TO GIVE THE SENSE OF HUMANITY, DIGNITY AND PERSONHOOD. IF THE PERSON YOU CARE FOR, LEAVES YOUR CARE FEELING MORE OF A PERSON THAN BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG, YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED. ONLY THEN.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL

We speak of love as though it is always wonderful. Although the reality is that it can often be terrifying. When someone approaches you and bares their soul speaking of their undying love for you, it demands a response. It is as though love breaks into your life like an intruder demanding that your life changes according to its demands. While we may never consciously think of loving this way, there can be a deep fear that we will lose something of our freedom or autonomy if we allow the love of another to take over our life.

This is particularly the case with the man we call Christ. We can find it very threatening to acknowledge the madness of God’s love showed through His birth in Bethlehem or His death on Calvary hill. The safest option which has been used throughout the Church’s history is to wrap the story up in a nice pius or theological packaging so that the personal reality of this love never has to fully impact us. Perhaps it is time to step away from our fear of allowing ourselves to be fully loved and let ourselves be open to the fullness and unconditional love that can exist.

The same can be then said for our companions or those that come to our centers of charity seeking assistance. How are we embracing them in love? Do we meet them with empathy and compassion or see them as just another statistic in our books that we give assistance to? Do we have a fear that if we give a piece of ourselves, we may lose it forever? Love in any form can be the most powerful gift. Real love is deeper than what’s on the surface but can be felt deep within and has transformative properties. It can change a person completely. It’s free and it is so easy to give. There is that well known saying that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. What we give of ourselves is bigger than any food card or any amount of money. They are just bonuses.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Do you find it difficult to give a piece of yourself to others?

Is there someone in your life that you forget what they did or what they said but you remember how they made you feel?

From: Firewood for the soul, vol. 1, A Reflexion Book for the Whole Vincentian Family
St. Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland, Australia.
Text by: Samantha Hill.