The Gift of Sharing

Every act of kindness you show to someone changes his or her life. There are countless stories of kindness that transformed the life of the one who gives and the one who receives. The widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon was getting ready to prepare the last meal for her household when the Prophet Elijah showed up asking for something to eat. She said to Elijah that she had just enough for her household that “we may eat it and die” (1Kings 17:12) because that is all she had left to survive on.

The widow was badly affected by the drought that swept the ancient world. But Elijah was reassuring. She trusted Elijah’s words and did as he said (1kings 17:13). Therefore, her household and Elijah survived on her meager resources till the drought was over. As the Lord of Israel says: “the jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth” (1Kings 17:14). The Lord blessed the widow through Elijah. When her son took ill and was close to dying, Elijah saved his life (1Kings 17:17-22). Likewise, Abraham’s act of kindness to total strangers on their way through his neighborhood was rewarded with a promise that Sarah will have a baby (Gen. 18:10).

Each act of kindness enriches a human life and closes the cracks of despair many people feel because they are overwhelmed by the challenges of daily life. Share the snacks you bought for your kids with the kids of your neighbor whose parents have been out of work. Take your kids to their soccer game alongside the kids of that single parent in you neighborhood who juggles so many things daily. Doing this will bring cheers to the life of the kids and take off so much pressure from the single parent.

How about using part of your free time to talk to someone not too far from you who is lonely? Part of your free time could be spent taking a loved one to a doctor’s visit especially those who are nervous about the impending outcome of their tests. On your way to and from your destination consider stopping to spread a cheer to the military family in your community whose loved one is serving in war or was killed in war.

Let mutual love prevail (Heb. 13:1). Those of us who find ourselves on a less stressful patch in life should not forget those who struggle. You will be touching someone’s life significantly if you extend an act of kindness to him or her. You will be bringing hope to his or her life. Many devotees of St. Jude continue to send prayer request asking God to intervene in the life of someone they know.

We continue to pray at the National Shrine of St. Jude with all those who are challenged by the demands of daily life. We invite you to light a candle of hope and perseverance for someone that feels the stress of life and also visit with one another and show support and encouragement. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5), “who dwelt among us” (John 1:14), shared in our weakness by becoming like us (Phil. 2:7) and gave us life in fullness (John 6:58). At the National Shrine of St. Jude we are celebrating Benefactors’ week asking God to bless those who are a blessing to others.

Father Ferdinand Okorie, C.M.F.
National Shrine of St. Jude
Chicago, Illinois