The Ask

Imitating the generosity of Jesus by enriching others

06/20/2017

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, of the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For according to their means, I can testify, and beyond their means, spontaneously, they begged us insistently for the favor of taking part in the service to the holy ones, and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us through the will of God, so that we urged Titus that, as he had already begun, he should also complete for you this gracious act also. Now as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

          One of the hardest things for a priest to do – perhaps for anyone to do – is to ask people for money. In the fundraising business, this is simply called “the ask.” I sometimes get upset with the proliferation of people begging for money on the street corners. Then I realize I beg for money every Sunday when we pass the collection plate. What they do outside the church, I do inside the church. This is called “the ask.”

          One priest came up with a clever way to ask for money for his capital campaign. He said: “I’ve got good news: we have enough money for our campaign! But the bad news is that it’s still in your pockets.” Modern technology as made “the ask” a lot easier. You can now set up an account on a website called “GoFundMe” and wait for people to just give you money. I need to set up a “Feed Fr. John account.” On this website you can ask for help with medical bills and other personal needs. Barbara Garcia raised $73,810 after she lost her home in the 2013 Moore, OK tornado. But the best approach to “the ask” was what Fr. Jerome Kodell once said: “Don’t ask people for a specific amount, just ask people to be generous like Jesus.” In other words, the best ask is to appeal to people’s generosity.

          In the first reading today from second Corinthians, St. Paul, too, makes “the ask,” and invites people to be generous.  Paul writes: “I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others.” Then St. Paul, like Fr. Jerome, reminds them now generous Jesus was: “For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” You see, Jesus’ generosity impoverished him because he had to step down from the glory of his Godhead to the humility of humanity.  But in exchange, he enriched us by elevating us from mere mortals to children of God. Jesus generosity is like a playground see-saw: when one goes down, you lift the other person up.

Today “ask” yourself (pun intended): how generous am I? Do I imitate the generosity of Jesus? And don’t limit yourself to monetary generosity. Sometimes it can be too easy to write a check and forget about the real need. Be generous, therefore, with your time and talent as well as with your treasure. Try to have the spirit of Nathan Hale, a spy for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He was captured by the British and moments before being hanged, he famously said: “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan Hale was willing to ride that see-saw of Jesus’ generosity. He impoverished himself – by losing his life – while he enriched America – by giving us a patriot.

          Of course, when we impoverish ourselves to enrich others, we don’t really become poor at all. Indeed, we enjoy the greatest riches of all, we please our heavenly Father. C. S. Lewis wrote in perhaps his most celebrated essay, called “The Weight of Glory,” these stirring words: “To please God…to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness…to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son.” To please his Father was the richness that Jesus enjoyed when he emptied himself and gave away everything else and become poor, indeed when he became a slave. And that’s the richness you will enjoy, too, when you ride the see-saw of Jesus’ generosity.

Praised be Jesus Christ!