The Source of All We Do

Many are familiar with the line from the New Testament, “God loves a cheerful giver.” It is not in the Gospels, however; it is from St. Paul. (2 Corinthians 9:7) St. Paul had a gift for synthesizing the gospel message of Jesus and teaching it to the people of various cities as they struggled to either understand the faith or to live it during times of oppression. The foundation of Paul’s teaching about our demeanor when we give is first, that we give. When the Church began (at Pentecost), one of their most obvious characteristics was to share everything in common. But that wasn’t all they did with what they had; they also shared joyfully with the poor. (Acts 2:42-47) This is exactly what Jesus taught, and therefore, whether in a material way or in service, (caritas), giving is something St. Paul would emphasize.* What is interesting, however, is that Paul highlights cheerfulness in our giving. Simply put, we give cheerfully when we share freely from a heart flowing with gratitude for what we have been given, which in turn gives rise to an outward expression as a response to God. This response is born of Divine Mercy, an expression of love, and the source of all we do. 

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One of the best examples of a cheerful giver is that of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. Among his friends and acquaintances St. Frassati was known for his smile (and his famous practical jokes). To the poor he was known not only for his smile, but also for his generosity and care.** While he was from a wealthy family, he gave in ways that sometimes were more sacrificial than anyone realized, including the choice to give which cost him his life. His parents were not understanding of him, yet he obeyed them with love; his love for them was deep, sincere, and unrelenting no matter how critical they were or how little they understood the faith which powered his choices. He knew they were oblivious to what he was doing for the poor, and in humility, he bore their misunderstanding, a result of his deep gratitude for God's grace of which he was acutely aware. 

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One might wonder how St. Frassati ‘came by’ his holiness or what fueled such joy and passion. It is clear that the source was God, cultivated by hours of prayer and adoration. This holds true for all believers: God invites and plants the seeds, but we must ‘water’ them. Pier Giorgio loved the Eucharist and the worship of Jesus at Mass so profoundly that he begged for permission to attend Mass and to receive the Eucharist daily, something that was not the usual practice at the time.*** He often spent hours after Mass in silent prayer and adoration before leaving the church for his daily obligations and activities. The effect of God’s love upon Pier Giorgio, combined with his deep loving response to God, was that God’s own mercy and love poured out of him in all that he cheerfully sacrificed and through all his charitable deeds for everyone he encountered. Of course, giving is not always about money, as St. Frassati taught by his life. While he did spend his own money to buy medicine or goods for the poor, it was the love he showed everyone that set him apart. As we see in him, it is the practice of prayer which opens the heart so greatly, leading us outward to share a smile, a listening ear, a small gesture, a casual conversation with a ‘stranger,’ or to pass on some knowledge or information that might aid someone. However, because we are sinful, wounded, and imperfect, this way is impossible to sustain without regular communion with the Lord; with prayer, it becomes a grace-filled way of being. While many people cannot get to daily Mass or spend hours in adoration, everyone can carve out some time for silent worship every day and we can ask God to open our heart in generosity when opportunities arise, or perhaps simply recognize at least one blessing that took place so far that day, offering a prayer of gratitude.

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Perhaps the reason the apostles were able to ‘recover’ after their failure (at Jesus’ crucifixion) was because they spent much time in reflection and prayer, first in sorrow and then after the Resurrection, in awe-filled gratitude. They allowed themselves to consider their failures and sinfulness, all the while letting in the mercy and light of Jesus which cast out the shame and gloom that had come upon them after His death. As they adored Jesus while in His presence, so too can we; as they partook of His Body and Blood, so too can we; as they became filled with awe and gratitude after spending time with Him, so too can we; and when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, (as are we) their response was to burst forth from the Upper Room in joy, gratitude, love, and mercy, as can we. 

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Let us spend time with Jesus so that in times of trouble, attack, or doubt our hearts will remember His mercy and love, and therefore turn to Him with trust and confidence. Even a small amount of time spent in prayer regularly will open our hearts to craving more time with Him. Our prayer will lead to recognizing His presence in every situation and encounter, enabling a response of gratitude and joy as we offer what we have found through our ‘cheerful giving' to others. God indeed loves a cheerful giver because this is the way He gives His love freely to His beloved children.

May we respond to the grace and mercy of God with joyful gratitude! May we appreciate with gratitude the many freedoms we have in the USA as we celebrate our 250th year of Independence! And may we be cheerful givers, sharing the bounty of God’s mercy and love with our neighbors! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                                           ©Michele L. Catanese

* Charity comes from the Latin word caritas, a form of love which is not limited to simply giving alms and goods. It is an attitude ‘within’ the gesture of giving: caritas is the attitude of love and mercy from which generosity flows.
** It is not as if St. Pier Giorgio Frassati (feast day July 4) had a smile plastered on his face at all times, something which would have been disingenuous. Rather, he had a sincere smile for everyone because he was a man at peace deep in his soul, having a heart filled with the love of Christ. You can read more about St. Pier Giorgio Frassati’s life, and the cause of his death at age 24, from one of the many resources on my website. Click here: https://www.catanesesd.com/books-on-saints.html or go to FrassatiUSA for more resources: https://www.frassatiusa.org/
*** At the time, Sunday Mass and major feast days were the only occasions when (Catholic) lay people could receive the Eucharist. Daily Mass was not the norm, except for Religious and priests. Perhaps our gratitude can be found in recognizing the profound gift we have in that we can go to Mass, receive Eucharist, and adore daily.

Images:
1. Painting; Giving to the Poor, Unknown artist, Wikipedia Commons
2. My photo of a painting; a portrait of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, (smiling) painted by his mother, Adelaide Ametis Frassati. I cropped my photo, which originally was of the entire painting.
3. My photo; Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament found in a small church while walking in the city; Amsterdam, Holland. 
4. Icon; St. Andrew First Called, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. This can be found at ​fineartamerica.com/featured/st-andrew-the-first-called-135-william-hart-mcnichols.html
​5. My photo; Sky in New Zealand, north island.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

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