One hot, late July afternoon I decided to take a walk around my neighborhood.  The sweltering weather was made even more so by the fact that I was overdue with my second child.  As I wobbled around the block, pulling my two-year-old son in a wagon, I noticed a young mother planting flowers near the front of her home.  She didn’t look up as I passed but continued planting her flowers. 

I circled the block once and, as I neared my own drive, felt inclined to circle the block again. There was no real reason to do this as neither my son, nor I, was enjoying this stroll.  Nonetheless I avoided walking up my driveway and continued on with a few steps that would change my life forever.

As I rounded the block a second time all my senses were focused on the heat, my overdue pregnancy, and my complaining son.  I chided myself for taking this additional trip around the block, not knowing what had every come over me.

Then, out of the blue, I heard a sweet voice say, “You look like you could use some lemonade.”  Although normally quite reserved this invitation seemed to hit a chord with me and I uncharacteristically accepted the kind offer.  The thought of resting my feet and letting my son out of the wagon was just what I needed.

As it turned out, the invitation came from that young mother who had been diligently planting her flowers.  We sat, laughed at the dilemmas of young motherhood, talked of the weather, and went our separate ways. 

Two days later I gave birth to my second son and, to my delight and surprise, received a beautiful bowl of fruit from the lady with whom I had shared a much-needed refreshing glass of lemonade.  With the fruit she also gave me a beautiful book about raising sons (she has three of them) which I have since enjoyed over and over again.

Make no mistake about it, the Spirit will move our life’s circumstances, and us, in priceless ways…Here is Pam’s side of the story:

It was late July and Pam’s flowers were long overdue for planting. She finally found the time to work on them and was bound and determined to get the job done.  The plants needed to get into the ground if they were going to survive.  If not, she would have to throw them all out. 

As she got to work she noticed a VERY pregnant lady walking in the street.  The lady was pulling a little boy in a red wagon.  It was quite hot and neither of them looked like they were enjoying the walk.  As they passed her driveway the Holy Spirit urged her to speak to the pregnant lady, to say “hello.”  She resisted the urge as the flower matter was quite pressing.  She really wanted to get this job done and enjoy the garden.  She didn’t want to lose the flowers.  And so she let the lady pass by.

Pam continued working industriously when she noticed the lady passing by a second time.  The little boy seemed more miserable than before and the lady looked like she was going to deliver at any moment.  This time the Holy Spirit was quite insistent.  “Speak to her!”  And so Pam put her trowel down, looked up and said, “You look like you could use some lemonade.” 

And from those inclinations, both hers to offer lemonade and mine to take a second walk around the block, God has forged a most beautiful friendship: a friendship that has lasted tweny years and several moves.  A friendship that now sees children graduating from college, getting married, and having children of their own.  A truly blessed friendship orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.

You are already satisfied; you have already grown rich; you have become kings without us! (1 Corinthians 4:8)

When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently. (1 Corinthians 4:13)

May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. (Ephesians 1:18)

The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. (Luke 1:53)

Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. (Matthew 10:8)

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

In light of the economic difficulties many in the U.S., and all over the world, are currently experiencing, it may be hard to think about giving our “riches” away. But yet, that is our call as Catholic men. But what could Paul have possibly meant when he told the Corinthians that they “have already grown rich” (1 Corinthians 4:8)?

Most members of the Corinthian church were among the poorer people in that city. Few of them possessed what the world of their day considered riches; probably none did, considered by our standards today. But what are the riches Paul is talking about. How about our ability to bless others even when ridiculed, to endure when persecuted, and to be gentle even when slandered (1 Corinthians 4:13)? What about the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) and the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that we have received?  These are treasures that any of us can have, regardless of how much money or how many “things” we may or may not possess. And aren’t these the riches that really matter anyway!

As Catholic men, God has given us so much! We have the Scriptures and the sacraments, the Spirit and the Church. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we have received wisdom, knowledge, understanding, fortitude, and so many other gifts (Isaiah 11:2). And Paul prayed that we would know these riches with greater and greater clarity (Ephesians 1:18). Why? Not so that we could rejoice in our wealth but so that we would know that we-every single one of us-have so much to offer other people.

Peace, divine love, joy, freedom from sin, even physical healing-how could we earn any of these? We have received much, as men whose empty hands the Father has filled with good things (Luke 1:53). And what does Jesus tell us? “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give” (Matthew 10:8). He is saying, “Use what you’ve received to build the kingdom of God and to bring glory to my Father.”

So the challenge is to give away what you’ve received. Don’t worry about what it is, or how much you have, or how it stacks up against what anyone else has received. Just give it away! Has God shown you his love and forgiveness in a particular way? Tell someone about it. Do you enjoy getting together with other men? Form a men’s group in your parish or, if you are already in one, invite a man to come to your next meeting. Have you experienced a physical healing? Pray with someone else for healing. Do you know a man that has stopped coming to Mass? Invite him to have a beer with you, and then at the right time, ask him to attend Mass with you. There’s no end to what Christ can accomplish through you because he dwells in you (Colossians 1:27).

“Father, in your infinite riches, you have given me everything I have. Show me today how and where to give it away. I believe that even as I do, you will fill me with more and more.”

Maurice Blumberg is on the Board of Directors of the National Fellowship of Catholic Men and Chairmen of the Board of The Word Among Us.

[Many thanks to The Word Among Us (http://www.wau.org/) for allowing us to adapt material from daily meditations in their monthly devotional magazine. Used with permission.]

Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men 

• 1. What is your reaction to the title of this article, i.e., the call to give Christ’s riches away?
• 2. How would you describe the kinds of “riches” we are called to give away?
• 3. What are some of the riches you have received from the Lord?
• 4. How well do you think you are doing in giving these riches away? What are some steps you can take to improve?
• 5. If you are in a men’s group, what steps can you take together to give your riches in Christ to others? Using the prayer at the end of the article as the starting point, pray for one another for the wisdom, grace, and courage to take the necessary steps.