Called to share....Sharing brings Joy

Read the story from the Life of St. Francis about sharing and how much he cared for sharing with the poor. When St. Francis was living in the palace of the Bishop of Rieti, trying to get a cure for the infirmity of his eyes, a certain poor woman from Machilone who had an infirmity similar to that of the saint came to the doctor. The saint, therefore, addressing his guardian familiarly, said something like this: "Brother guardian we must give back, what belongs to another". He replied, "Let it be given back Father, if there is such a thing here". "This mantle" he said, "which we borrowed from that poor 'women, let us give it back to her, for she has nothing in her purse to take care of her expenses". The guardian answered, "Brother, this mantle is mine and it was not lent to me by anyone. But use it as long as it pleases you, when you no longer want to use it give it back to me". Actually, the guardian had bought it a little earlier for Francis' need. The saint said to him: "Brother guardian, you have always been courteous to me and I beg you to show me the same courtesy now". The guardian replied, "Do as you wish, father, whatever the spirit suggests to you"

 after his conversion Francis believed in sharing all that he had with the poor....it became a natural habit for him....sharing not only material things but his spiritual gifts too.....Francis became an icon of sharing....sharing his wealth....giving or returning all that belonged to his father....he received tremendous joy and happiness in sharing...

 Today the Catholic church is busy sharing through charity....so many institutions started in the name of poor....they are served and cared for in our institutions....sharing brings more blessings in the name of rich benefactors who are willing to share with us so that we take all that to the poor....

 some of us might forget the founding charism and intentions of our institutions for which they have been opened....poor ones may knock on our doors and may not receive anything...they go back empty handed...they may come for advices, material help or even admissions in our prestigious schools...are we sharing with them....as i said earlier that all of us do....but here and there we know and hear that poor ones are turned away....

 Pope Francis calling us to share with the needy and homeless.....we must find out ways and means to reach out to these unfortunate ones,,,,,Jesus is present in them....Martin of Tours shared half of his mantle and in a dream he saw Jesus wearing the same half mantle shared by him......all that we do we do it for Jesus

 St. Francis of Assisi...shared with the poor and lepers...he embraced them....gave all that he possessed...God rewarded him.....lepers earlier nauseated him but the same lepers he embraced, ate with them, nursed their wounds....