The Law of Charity

The world is filled with those who have and those who have not. Every person falls somewhere on that spectrum.  Some are incredibly wealthy on one side, and on the other extreme, there are those living in abject poverty. Such is the world, and because of the relativism of wealth, there will always be some richer and some poorer.

The phenomenon was alive and well during Jesus’ time, as it is today. The Gospel from St. Mark uses an event where Jesus observed two distinct groups of people and their obligation to pay money to the temple treasury. It is similar to the collection basket we are familiar with, with funds used to support the church and other expenses.

Jesus noticed that rich people were giving large sums of money while a poor widow contributed only a tiny amount.  Jesus concluded that the poor widow gave more than the rich because they gave from their surplus, while the widow contributed all she had.

You would be hard-pressed not to agree with Jesus.’ conclusion, but his remarks have little to do with the actual amount given because it is all relative. Instead, Jesus alerts us to the foundation of giving, which is timeless. The amount doesn’t matter, but what does matter is how we give.

In her wisdom, the Church links our Gospel with the first reading from the books of Kings. Through this lens, Jesus’ words can become more intelligible.  The reading is about the prophet Elijah meeting a widow and asking her for a cup of water. Elijah’s request didn’t end with a cup of water; he added he wanted a bit of bread. The widow told him she had no bread, and the supply she had left would only give her and her son one day left of sustenance, and then they would die.  

Elijah, undeterred, told her not to be afraid and to do as she had first intended: make the last meal for her and her son, but first, he wanted her to bring him a cake. Elijah told her, “For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry.’” The widow left, and for a year after, her jar of flour never went empty, nor did her jug of oil run dry.

Now, the message of charity becomes clear. I like to call this phenomenon the Law of Charity. The law works this way: Any person who gives to another with some sacrifice or personal loss will be gifted, sometimes tenfold, thirtyfold, and a hundredfold. The law of charity never fails, but the key is the gift given does not come from surplus but from the heart.

A true story will end our reflection this weekend. During the Great Depression, a young couple married in California and were on their way to enjoy their honeymoon. En route, a massive storm came, making the roads unpassable. The young couple abandoned their car and headed for the only structure around, a farmhouse, where they were greeted by an elderly couple.  

The bridegroom only requested a spot on his floor for himself and his new wife. In response, the old woman fibbed, telling the couple they had a spare bedroom, and demanded they use it instead of sleeping on the floor. The following day, the young couple rose earlier than the farmer and his wife and found the farmhouse quite shabby in the light of day, with the old couple sleeping in worn-out armchairs and downstairs.

A couple weeks later, on the brink of foreclosure, the elderly couple received a certified letter. It read:

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Duke:

Enclosed is a small token of appreciation for all you have done for my son and his new bride. I was told you have given all you had for their comfort. May God Bless you always for your generosity.

Reginald Walsh, President of Majestic Radio.

The enclosed check saved the elderly couple’s farm. The response to the farmer’s generosity resulted in even a greater gift than they gave.

This is an example of the Law of Charity, which always happens. If you give from your heart and resources, it will happen to you, too. The more you give, the more will be given to you. And what you will find is the Law of Charity never fails.

It doesn’t fail because it is a divine principle. All we have to do is give the little we have to Christ, and we are rewarded with the prospect of eternal life.