A 13th Sunday after Pentecost: Extraordinary Examples of Charity

Let's turn on this 13th Sunday after Pentecost to some extraordinary examples of charity. Let's begin with the understanding that we are all called to charity - charity above all. 

Charity is love, in its fullest sense. We ought not be distracted by our imaginative versions of romantic love in this. Such can cause us to lose sight of the real essence of love, which lies firmly embedded in sacrifice. To know this, all we have to do is think of Our Lord Jesus Christ Passion - the ultimate example of love. This is our highest "gold standard" for love. It is, in a sense True Love.

With this, we turn to our examples, beginning with some deep thoughts about the singular, fundamental importance of love from St. John of the Cross. God is Love. St. John helps us know how we can return this love with true love.  

“It is of the highest importance that the soul should be well exercised in love, so that, being rapidly consumed, she will tarry but a short time here below and quickly attain to the vision of God face to face. The smallest act of pure love is more precious in the eyes of God, and more profitable to the Church, than all other works put together. Without love all our works, all our labors, are as nothing before God, for He holds acceptable only our love. Wherefore the soul which is aglow with this perfect love is named the Spouse of the Son of God, and appears to us raised to a footing of equality with Him, because of their mutual affection renders all common between them. Enkindled by this love, the soul desires neither wages nor reward. Its will is to lose all and sacrifice itself without desiring to gain naught for itself, so that it may please Jesus. Happy the soul that loves! The Lord becomes, as it were, its prisoner, and holds himself ready to fulfill all its desires. Love is repaid only by love.” (St. John of the Cross) 

The following seems to provide extraordinary examples of this love of which St. John of the Cross speaks.  

(from williedoyle.org as published in O'Rahilly's Life of Fr. Doyle)

For the poor people on Dalkey Hill Willie constituted himself into a Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. He raised funds by saving up his pocket-money, by numberless acts of economy and self-denial; he begged for his poor, he got the cook to make soup, he pleaded for delicacies to carry to the sick. Once he went to the family apothecary and ordered several large bottles of cod-liver oil for a poor consumptive woman, and then presented the bill to his father! He bought a store of tea with which under many pledges of secrecy he entrusted the parlourmaid. On this he used to draw when in the course of his wanderings he happened to come across some poor creature without the means of providing herself with the cup that cheers. He by no means confined himself merely to the bringing of relief. He worked for his poor, he served them, he sat down and talked familiarly with them, he read books for the sick, he helped to tidy the house, he provided snuff and tobacco for the aged. One of Willie’s cases if such an impersonal word may be used was a desolate old woman whose children were far away. One day noticing that the house was dirty and neglected, he went off and purchased some lime and a brush, and then returned and whitewashed the whole house from top to bottom. He then went down on his knees and scrubbed the floors, amid the poor woman’s ejaculations of protest and gratitude. No one knew of this but the cook and parlour maid who lent him their aprons to save his clothes and kept dinner hot for him until he returned late in the evening. While thus aiding his poor friends temporally, he did not forget their souls. He contrived skilfully to remind them of their prayers and the sacraments; he also strongly advocated temperance. There was one old fellow on the Hill whom Willie had often unsuccessfully tried to reform. After years of hard drinking he lay dying, and could not be induced to see a priest. For eight hours Willie stayed praying by the bedside of the half-conscious dying sinner. Shortly before the end he came to himself, asked for the priest and made his peace with God. Only when he had breathed his last, did Willie return to Melrose. His first missionary victory! 

 

Happy 13th Sunday after Pentecost!