Youth for Christ Sto. Tomas Cluster

02092012

1 Kings 11:4-13 / Psalms 106

Gospel:  Mark 7:24-32

And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid. But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet.  Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoeni’cian by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone.

A Beggar’s Story

One morning, after I spoke for God in front of a number of people, I saw four children playing cook in front of a house. They were dirty and hungry. Each of them was holding a Styrofoam container, fiddling soil and garbage with a stick. I walked towards them and each turned their faces to me, revealing the innocent look in their eyes.

I refuse giving alms because I’m not comfortable with the idea of begging. I believe all people have the capability to earn money from hard work but they do not for they simply would not.  But at that time, I knew something was different. I took out the two sugar-rolled cheese bread friends gave me to compensate for my “lost” breakfast and gave it to them.  One of the kids, probably the eldest, then let out a warm “Salamat, Kuya. (Thank you, brother.)”, and parted the bread to his playmates. I then continued walking home with a happy heart, not only because I did something good, but I realized something of importance: that I am a ‘beggar’, too.

Every time I ask God for a favor, every time I pray to God for a miracle, I beg. God has the choice not to like me. I sin, I do bad things, and I forget to pray. It could be easy for a God so sovereign to dislike a filthy sinner begging for His mercy, but He simply don’t and won’t–because He wants everybody to experience a fullness of life in Him.

St. Augustine once said, “What you do with those who beg from you is what God will do with his beggar–you! You are filled and you are empty. Fill your empty neighbor from your fullness, so that your emptiness may be filled from God’s fullness.”

You are blessed. Be a blessing to others.

Writer: Ron Celajes | Artist: Johnvic Monzon

via CFCYOUTHFORCHRIST.NET