About the poor

[kantus12]

Hello all,

I understand that Christians have a duty to the poor. However, I was recently readin gone of Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s posts on the subject (Witness in Words and Works…Or Else!), and it’s thrown me for a little bit of a loop. I try to help the poor when I can, but I am not financially independent, and thus have very limited funds. However, what really worries me is my own attitude towards the matter. When I hear about serving the poor, I find myself thinking of all the discomfort I’ll bring on myself. I’m ashamed to say it, but I struggle with going to the effort of looking up the charities in my area, and letting go of my money. Then again, I find it much easier when there’s a poor person standing in front of me, as opposed to being told in the abstract that I must do more charitable work. I guess what I’m worried about is whether I’m too comfortable with the way things are to get up and follow Christ, and whether that makes me (as Fr. Longenecker says) a fake, plastic Catholic.

Does anybody have any advice for me?

 

[theCrow]

Best advice:

you don’t necessarily have to give MONEY to help the poor.

Give of your time, your used clothes, or other efforts to help those in need.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Best advice:

you don’t necessarily have to give MONEY to help the poor.

Give of your time, your used clothes, or other efforts to help those in need.

This post should be framed!

Here’s your prize:

:yeah_me:

 

[Bonnie]

your used clothes

A cautionary tale about used clothes - sometimes the poor don’t want them. Many years ago when my daughter was a baby, we had met a wealthy man (a good Catholic!) who said he would give us some of the clothes his daughter no longer needed. I pictured beautiful outfits.

When he dropped off a large box, I was very excited to open it - until I got a good look at what was inside.

NOTHING was suitable for a 6-month old; the clothes were stained and torn. There were even some laddered pantyhose - I suppose those were for me. Everything went into the dumpster.

So if you are giving away clothes, take a good look at them. If they aren’t something you’d be willing to wear, or have your children wear, throw them away. Charitable organizations such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army spend a lot of money on trash - they have to throw it away and the garbage haulers and landfills charge them the same as anyone else.

 

[cheezey]

A cautionary tale about used clothes - sometimes the poor don’t want them. Many years ago when my daughter was a baby, we had met a wealthy man (a good Catholic!) who said he would give us some of the clothes his daughter no longer needed. I pictured beautiful outfits.

When he dropped off a large box, I was very excited to open it - until I got a good look at what was inside.

NOTHING was suitable for a 6-month old; the clothes were stained and torn. There were even some laddered pantyhose - I suppose those were for me. Everything went into the dumpster.

So if you are giving away clothes, take a good look at them. If they aren’t something you’d be willing to wear, or have your children wear, throw them away. Charitable organizations such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army spend a lot of money on trash - they have to throw it away and the garbage haulers and landfills charge them the same as anyone else.

true. you should see what we receive for donations at a Christian Charity.

Time is good to donate…