Not all donations are tax deductible….

We’ve all see him. Outside of the baseball game, on the off ramp, outside of church. The beggar.

Our faith is clear on our responsibility to the poor. You remind yourself that the beggar could be Jesus in disguise, testing your compassion and generosity. But then there is that other voice. You tell yourself that person is either scamming, has a chemical dependency, or is crazy. Giving money isn’t helping him, it’s keeping him from learning how to fend for himself. If you want to give money, give it to a charity that can help those in need in a healthy, responsible way.

But somehow the debate resurfaces. Your children are watching you walk by someone with outstretched arms, in obvious need of help. It’s unsettling. What would God have us do? If I have two coats, one is mine and one belongs to the poor, but how do I give this coat to the right person, the right way?

And what about other forms of donating? Like donating time to serve the poor? Or donating your skills to help train and educate those searching for work? And does donating stop with just the poor? Don’t we donate to our church, to our families, to our friends? Is there a difference between putting money in the second offering basket at mass and letting a troubled teen live with you and your family? Where does donating start and being a loving person stop? Is it one in the same?

I think of the story told of Saint Francis of Assisi who was visited by a novice priest. The young priest was ready to spend a day out preaching with this great holy man. Before they got started, they went to the hospital and visited a sick parishioner. They then brought bread to an elderly friend. Later in the afternoon they played games in the street with the local kids. When the day was coming to a close the novice asked, “Father, when will we preach the Gospel to the people?” The wise priest answered, “My son, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.”

Giving is not just putting cash in a coffee can on the sidewalk. It’s what naturally happens when you love. To love is to will the good of another, often at the sacrifice of the self. When we love, we look outside of ourselves and focus on the needs of others. Sometimes those “others” are strangers, and sometimes they are the ones we love most.

• Challenge yourself to give, not in a way that is easiest for you, but in a way that is most helpful for the one you are trying to serve.
• Be wise enough to know that sometimes the most compassionate thing to do is say no, even if it makes you feel uncomfortable or look cold hearted.
• When the time comes to truly give- give more than you feel you should. Quiet that voice that warns you that you won’t have enough for yourself. If you give away what money, time, or love you have, trust that God will provide.