Charity Formula:Loving Intent + Good Deeds = (God's Blessing)Xn

Charity:  What does it mean to you?  How do you go about it?  And for what purpose? Thomas briefly answers these questions for us today by first telling us what charity is NOT.  It's not evil.  Sometimes such an act should be omitted in favor of a better situation in the future.

Thomas then takes us into Scripture, focusing on the "Love" chapter of 1 Corinthians and the story from Luke's Gospel about the sinful woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and hair and faith in His forgiveness.  Thomas then comes up with a formula: 

Loving Intent + Good Work = (God's Blessings)Xn.

Chapter 15 Works Done Out of Charity



Evil should not be done, either for anything in the world or for the love of any man; but for the profit of one that stands in need a good deed is sometimes omitted or it can be changed for a better deed. For by so doing a good work is not lost but is changed into something better.

Without charity the outward deed is worthless; but whatever is done out of charity, be it ever so little and insignificant, all becomes fruitful (1 Cor 13:3). For God regards more with how much affection and love a person performs a charitable work than how many deeds he does(Luke 7:47*).

Next Thomas breaks it back down for us, warning us that we should not seek out charitable works to make ourselves feel better, but seek to make it about honoring The Lord and helping His people. The rewards will be there, and it's alright to bask in His Presence when He blesses us, but to remember that it's about Him....not us!

2. He does much who loves much. He does much that does well what he does. He does well who regards the common good rather than his own pleasure.

Often that which seems to be charity is really simple carnality. Because of our own natural inclinations, we look to our own self-interests, hope of reward, and personal desires: these are seldom absent even in this area of our life.               



St. Katherine Drexel



3. True and perfect charity, then, lies not in self seeking, but rather in the desire only for the glory of God. The charitable envy none, nor do is private joy sought, nor even do they seek their own pleasure; but above all things wish to be made happy in God.Such charitable.

  Ah! if man had but one spark of charity he would doubtless perceive that all earthly things are full of vanity.

We come back to this theme of vanity again and again.  Wonder why?  Because we keep seeing the same aspect of our selfishness and sinfulness in all parts of our life, even those areas where we try to do good.  It's ok, we can overcome it with prayer.

I picked St. Kaherine Drexel as my icon here since she was a woman of wealth who gave it all up and spent much of her adult life working with American Indian children and others in need.

Until next time, thanks for reading and praying with me. Next time we will look at Forebearance.
tim

p.s.  the passage from the Gospel of St. Luke is below:
*36 A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
37Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages^* and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.  46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.^* But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”^s 50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”