Poor but Generous

One of the blessings associated with guiding others in formation is the repeated contact it brings with our Constitutions.  One might expect this little book to be rather dry – does it not contain a set of rules?  In fact there are many spiritual gems within it.  People find number 14 on ‘the evangelical counsel of poverty’ challenging, it makes them feel guilty because they don’t live on the poverty line.  But this number 14 actually defines poverty as ‘the desire to live in accordance with the Gospel and its values.’  Then it goes on to say that ‘in evangelical poverty there is a wealth of generosity’.  This seems paradoxical, for if you are poor, how can you be generous – you don’t have anything to give?  But our vocation is to interior poverty, the inner detachment from our possessions that enables us to give generously of what we possess as the occasion arises.  Then we can make what the text calls ‘an evangelical use of the goods of this world’.

Intercessions

RIP Fr Jon Bielawski, Jacqui, Sister Maisie, Ann Widdecombe

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Theresa K, Elena

Sophie – newborn having heart surgery; Sianna, young child in the post-operative phase; James, recovering from heart surgery

Ivy – sick child

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (in recovery)

Illness:  Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

We are asked to pray for the Diocese of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand, as the Northern Mission celebrates its centenary. The process of selecting a new bishop continues.