Recently at the post office I found myself short on change. Although I had brought a couple of dollars for postage, the actual cost was closer to four dollars. I therefore completed the transaction with my debit card. On my way back, I encountered an older fellow moving along slowly with the help of a walker on the other side of the street. I don’t know whether he was homeless, but he had that well-weathered look about him.
As I walked toward him, he asked if I could spare two dollars. That, of course, is exactly how much cash I had in my pocket. So I enjoyed a very pleasant exchange with this grateful fellow for a mere two dollars. This brought to mind a memorable saying of the Desert Fathers.
The Desert Fathers were monks who lived and worshipped for a time in the Egyptian desert starting in the Third Century AD. Written sayings, short tales and maxims, not unlike Buddhist koans, have preserved the wisdom of these “athletes of God.” One of my favorites involved St. Agatho, who happened upon a paralyzed beggar as he made his way to the marketplace.
The paralytic proceeded to make a series of heavy demands on “Abba” Agatho, which the monk met readily, and without complaint. In reality, that man was no beggar, but rather an angel sent to test Agatho, who was rewarded with what was surely a dazzling vision of one of the Lord’s heavenly angels.
Scripture warns that we can encounter angels in disguise (Hebrews 13:2). That fellow I met got two dollars, but I got much more in return. The joyous lift in my heart from meeting him and helping him was my angelic vision. So, really, who was giving to whom? Besides, when angels roam the earth in disguise, it’s always best to play it safe.
So we should keep this in mind as we decide what we can truly afford when giving to those in need. Through our child sponsorship programs, CARITAS for Children helps people in this land of material wealth and spiritual poverty connect with children in countries who are poor in material wealth, but fabulously rich in spiritual treasure. Though they are geographically distant, we must keep them close to our hearts for our own sake, because that is precisely where God Himself keeps them. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5)
Tim Hall is CARITAS For Children’s Regional Director of Church Outreach. Tim has a Master of Theology degree from Notre Dame.
