Feb 05, 2016

Prayer of St. Francis (23)

For it is in giving that we receive

“Give, and it will be given to you.
They will pour into your lap
A good measure – pressed down,
Shaken together, and running over.
For by your standard of measure
It will be measured to you in return.”
                                    Luke 6:38

 

We begin to look at the reasoning for all the pleas to be selfless in our life, for the results are overpowering in the extreme if we but follow the simple axioms presented, for as the Prayer of St. Francis states: “It is in giving that we receive”.

The Giving Self

Jesus put it clearly: what time and concern we give to others, it will be returned “Pressed down, shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38). This statement flies in the need that is more often stated, instant gratification. We are to do all these time consuming things (bring peace to others, comfort to others, love to others) because some day we will be rewarded, somehow, not that we will see gratification immediately.
All of us struggle to find the time to do the things we have to do in life; now we are asked to do extraordinary things in the time we don’t seemingly have. Even if I can see the wonder and beauty in doing these things, how am I going to find the time to first, add a half-hour of prayer into my life, then find the time to visit the sick, listen to the sorrowful, etc.

Look at Your Day

I have found that the best way to reorganize your day to add high priority items is to look at the day in detail. Take a small notebook and write down everything you spent some time doing today. Yes, today. Not only the items that look good on paper, but everything, including the breaks you gave yourself during they day, and especially the times spend watching news (for the umpteenth time), mindless television, time spend worrying about something that might, just maybe, happen that could, somehow, affect you, and especially those items that not only won’t affect you, there is nothing you can do about it to change it in the foreseeable future. Look at the list of things: many good things: sleeping, work, playing with the kids, driving to appointments, eating, and yes, time to let the world roll off of you. All of these are good. But how much time is spend in petty things (talking about someone else, staring blankly, reading and rereading something, etc.).
Time has a way of slipping by, and friends and others, when out of sight, have a way of vanishing from our conscious thought. I suggest that when you realize that you have not seen Cousin Ann for some time, even at events where you should have, write the name in your notebook, and every day or two, look at your notebook and make a mental note, or a physical note if needed, to call or contact one, just one of the ‘vanishing’ friends.
With the wonder of our technology, it does not take a lot of time to reach out and say hello to someone. Use one of your breaks to reach out to someone that is ill, or housebound; listen, really listen to a coworker who is going through a difficult time (listening and a few words that indicate you hear them is all that is usually required); stopping by someone’s house on the way home is a way to bring cheer and joy where needed; these are only a few things we can do that do not take a lot of time and give flesh to the Prayer of St. Francis. It is amazing how a few minutes, usually only 5-10 minutes here and there, can bring a spot of joy and happiness into an empty spot, a period of joy that will be remembered far longer than the time you give during the day.
Next we will look at how and what we receive when we give.

“For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat;
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink;
I was a stranger and you invited Me in;
Naked and you clothed me;
I was in prison and you came to me.”
                                              Matt. 25:35

Questions to Ponder

Look at your day, and chart out all the wasted time therein. Remember, each moment will never come again.
How have you balanced out all the various calls on your time, and is there a possible better balance possible?

Meditation

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.”
If this meditation post has been helpful, I would appreciate it if you would pass it on or share it.