Give

In the news this past week, we heard that Warren Buffett, the second richest man in the world, was going to give away nearly all of his money to charity.

His largesse is a little complicated: he usually gives large sums to pro-abortion groups and he is giving the bulk of his fortune to a charity administered by the only man richer than he: Bill Gates.

Nevertheless, this act of philanthropy is a challenge to all of us.

Yes, he may have billions to give away, but you and I have the far greater example of Christ who gave everything for our sake, in becoming man and in dying on the cross, as we hear in today's second reading (2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15):

For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Not that others should have relief
while you are burdened,
but that as a matter of equality
your abundance at the present time

should supply their needs,
so that their abundance may also supply your needs,
that there may be equality.

As it is written:
Whoever had much did not have more,
and whoever had little did not have less.

As Christ has done for us, so we must do for each other.