Matthew 5:38-42"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow."
It has been taught to us that sometimes being generous is not just giving alms. It is much deeper than that. When I was with a group of friends yesterday, we were approached by not a few beggars on the street. It is quite sad to turn them away, for we knew that we could be helping them more than just giving money to them.
It is quite sad that I often resign to just praying for them, that God will grant them the grace of a successful life. But as a student, I can only do so much.
I have resolved to minimize my giving of alms, as it somehow engenders a behavior we Filipinos call pamimihasa. When one becomes like the term I mentioned, one ends up expecting too much alms from others, therefore limiting them to just begging and not working hard for a living.
In my years as a medical student exposed in community situations, I have seen many cases of pamimihasa amongst our beneficiary families. It is quite sad.
But I continue to pray for them. I know God hasn't given up on them, and neither will I.
In my quest of rediscovering myself in the context of my religious calling, I look forward to the day that I could finally help them, not by alms, but by giving my whole self to them. I just pray that God will give me the grace. And like Jesus depicted above, eating with the poorest of the poor, I hope I could do the same.
{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez, pray for us.
{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
Photo credits: Hapag ng Pag-Asa (Table of Hope) by Joey Velasco. http://joeyvelasco.com/images/paintings_whole/Hapag_ng_pag_asa.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment