As I prepare to transition from CEO and president of Catholic Charities to other responsibilities, I realize more and more how much I love working with the poor, the needy and the hungry. I’ve also reflected upon some of the people who inspired me to do this work I feel called to do.
I think of saints like Martin de Porres, who begged for alms to feed the poor and give out money to the indigent. Dorothy Day, a possible future saint, who both served and advocated for the poor. Damian of Molokai, who served in a leper colony in Hawaii for 16 years before succumbing to the disease himself. Their actions speak loudly and clearly of their commitment to service.
Words can also touch my heart. Someone recently shared with me a quote from St. Angela Merici: “Reflect that in reality you have a greater need to serve [the poor] than they have of your service.”
I have found this true. We grow in faith and love when we serve others. St. John Paul II touched on this in what he called the Law of the Gift. He said, “Man cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself.”
Of course, I have always loved and been challenged by the words of Jesus, especially when he said, “Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none.” (Luke 3:11) Dorothy Day said it even more bluntly: “If you have two coats, you are stealing from the poor.”
This hits home for me. I have probably eight or 10 coats that I don’t wear all that often. They were given to me by others, and I do appreciate them. But as I went through some things early in winter, I realized I have too many coats that usually sit in my closet while others are uncomfortably and even dangerously cold because they lack clothing and shelter.
One of the driving forces behind our work at Catholic Charities is the passage from Matthew (25:31-46) that speaks of meeting Jesus in the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick and imprisoned. Jesus clearly says that whatever we do to help “the least” brothers and sisters of his, we also do to him.
I often tell our staff that their jobs are also a ministry, and, because they work for Catholic Charities, I think they will get “extra credit” when they reach the Pearly Gates. They will be able to tell St. Peter that they met Jesus every day in their service to the poor.
Mother Teresa inspired me through both her actions and words. She was asked one time why she continued helping the poor and the dying in Calcutta when they kept coming with no end in sight. “God didn’t call me to be successful,” she responded. “He called me to be faithful.”
I think this applies to all aspects in our lives. It’s certainly true of our efforts at Catholic Charities. We are not always as successful as we want to be, but we remain faithful to the call and continue trying our best.
As I think about my own call to serve, I am aware that this is my last Lent as leader of Catholic Charities. More than ever, I want to share my gifts and talents with those in need.
We hear a lot in Lent about fasting, as we begin the holy season with a fast on Ash Wednesday. I think many of us do a pretty good job with fasting and giving things up during Lent to make more room for God.
I think the same is true of prayer. Many of us pray more, attend more weekday Masses, participate in Stations of the Cross, and more. There are many ways we try to slow down and listen to God’s voice.
Almsgiving, or helping those in need, can be somewhat overlooked. The archdiocese’s Annual Appeal is a great way to help, but there are many others as well through your parish, in your neighborhoods, with Catholic Charities, and through other social services agencies. Almsgiving is not limited to financial contributions. It should also be our time and our efforts on behalf of those most in need.
I am emphasizing almsgiving this Lent, inspired by the saints of the past and the saints of today. I will do what I can with money, and I also want to devote time and energy to making a difference for those who are less fortunate.
The biggest question for me is whether I can truly meet Jesus once again in the poor and the vulnerable I meet every day. This is my Lenten challenge, and I hope to be a better child of God when we celebrate Easter through my prayer, fasting and service this Lent. I hope the same for you.
(Msgr. John Enzler, the president and CEO of Catholic Charities of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, writes the “Faith in Action” column for the archdiocese’s Catholic Standard newspaper and website and for the archdiocese’s Spanish-language El Pregonero newspaper and website.)
