Charity

My mother still isn't feeling well from her heart incident on Sunday and I am very worried about her. She has a sinus and bladder infection on top of everything else. All she has wanted to do for the last few days is sleep which is the best thing for her. I've been listening for her getting up and won't feel easy in my mind until I do. The phone rang twice this morning and I got it before it could ring a third time. Normally Mom will answer so either she was in deep sleep or figured I would get it.

My niece was on the phone and told me her mother had been in an auto accident and suffered a broken leg and severe bruising of the chest. I let my brother know and he immediately started criticizing his ex-wife. I didn't want to argue with him and wake up our mother but a little charity is in order here. I don't care if you dislike a person when they have suffered through no fault of their own they at least deserve a little sympathy.

Charity is easy to do when the recipient is unknown to you. I give to a missionary group that works with poor people all over the world. My Mom contributes to the Franciscan Order who also work in the poor parts of the world as well as to a soup kitchen in the town her sister lives in. Her sister will often help out in the soup kitchen.

Charity becomes more difficult if the person is known to us and we don't like the person for whatever reason. My ex-sister-in-law is not my favorite person in the world but I would not wish the pain and suffering she is going through on her. I would hope that I would feel the same way if something were to happen to my ex-husband. As much as I suffered at his hands I do not wish him ill.

Charity is defined as 1) benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity,  2) indulgence or forbearance in judging others, and 3) the virtue defined as love directed first toward God but also toward oneself and one's neighbors as objects of God's love. The first part is not that difficult to do. Part two is where we as humans have problems. Man has a tendency to be very judgmental. Where we have all heard part 3 how many of us actually listened to what we were taught? Charity in thought as well as deed is something that I know I can work on improving and I'm sure many of us can also work a little harder at. I do wish my ex-sister-in-law a speedy recovery and she is in my prayers.

The picture is called "The Gift 2". The original picture is one of a couple where I lost all but a small version of the picture in a hard drive crash. I am very pleased with how it came out.