M
mjdavies
Guest
I need some advice - my sister has left her Catholic faith to join some non-denominational religion that preaches that God rewards people with financial prosperity if they do the Lord’s work. I was upset enough as it is that she now compares her new-found religion to the Catholic one and her religion always seems to emerge as the more authentic, better one. She has also chosen not to baptize her younger child, and both her children will be the only ones in our family who will not experience first communion, confirmation, etc., but there is an even bigger problem. This kind of prosperity preaching appeals to the poor because people constantly live in the hope that God will shower riches on them, but my sister and her husband, who are in dire financial straits, are doing little to nothing to change their financial situation. And then there is also the charity issue. While we all need to turn to it once in a while, whether because of some tragic event in our lives, or whether because we made poor choices in life, the way I see it, we need to trust in God’s guidance as we do whatever we can to pull ourselves out of the financial situation we are in. My sister and her husband have learned to completely rely on charity. She is not working - they can’t afford a sitter. I asked her ‘why don’t you babysit at home’, she said no. Her husband is a mechanic who makes very little money and he is not actively seeking another part-time job to supplement his income - the way other struggling people I know have done and continue to do. Simply put, he’s not a go-getter and finds excuses for everything. So while my sister sits at home watching television, I’ve sent them gift cards - plenty of times - mostly for the children. People at their church, friends and relatives have given them money. I’ve made my sentiments known to my sister in a very nice way, nothing helps. I am holding in my anger. This has been going on for five years now. Now it’s gotten to the point where my sister will tell me “If you should ever decide to bless us with another gift card, can you make it a Walmart instead of a Target?” I think she is starting to sense my true feelings because she will say things that are sounding a little critical - as if I’m not Christian enough. One time she said, “Never let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”. It’s as if she were telling me not to feel so high and mighty just because I gave her money (which I don’t do at all, she’s just sensing that I am because I am constantly trying to give her advice to pull themselves out of their situation). Her husband’s family doesn’t help the situation - my sister’s mother in law recently even paid for their vacation flights so they could visit her. Now my sister’s sister in law sister feels so badly for them - that they are living in an apartment and their children don’t have a backyard to play in - she wants to buy a house in her name and have them live in it and pay the mortgage. While that’s nice, it does nothing to help my sister and her husband learn to handle their own situation. Am I being un-Christian? What does the bible really teach about charity? Also, what would be the best way for me to handle this situation as time goes on? I feel like blowing-up and screaming at my sister but I know that full-blown anger will only make matters worst. It would also give my sister reason to believe that the Catholic faith is not effective in teaching us how to behave in a Christian way. Please help.