Poor but Rejoicing

Chapter 10 of Luke's gospel begins with Jesus sending out his disciples to preach; he had told them to take nothing for their journey, no gold, silver, or copper; no haversack, sandals, or two tunics. Perhaps they must have gone out grumbling and complaining. It was only a while ago they had fought to establish who is the greatest among them, and who would sit at the right and left of the one who sits on the throne in heaven. Here in Luke 10:17-24 we find them returning back rejoicing; what really made the difference?

Let me draw a parallel to St. Francis of Assisi: born in 1181, he lived an unconscious, unattended, normal life, like any other, for the first 24 years. Returning home from the Assisi-Perugia war as a loser and wounded, he then left home and spent the next 20 years of his life wandering, reading, writing, singing, preaching to creation, loving, giving, forgiving, losing to God, being wounded, praying, bending down, groaning in loud cries.

A 24-year-old Francis once sat in his cell, crying over his insufficiencies: the war he lost, the health that he did not have, and the reputation and fame he could not make. Now the 44-year-old Francis had achieved none of the above, died lying naked on the cold floor, yet singing. Hold on to that thought for a while. He sang in gratitude for what he had. Now he had enough. He had sufficient, and was content and satisfied. We still gaze on, trying hard to see a poor and naked man's reason for his hymns of thanksgiving.

The disciples of Jesus too returned singing and rejoicing. What did happen in both these instances? The disciples always kept receiving from Jesus and others; they kept asking the beggar's question: what could I get? Now for the first time the disciples began to let go and give away. That letting go, that giving made miracles happen; and they were happy. Francis had too many wants and desires. Now he too let go and gave away; and that is the secret of a naked man lying on the floor, dying, but singing.

Jesus says that you not only become happy and rejoicing on earth, but also your name begins to be written in heaven when you begin to give. And often this giving is possible when we become like children and babes. Adults are too calculative and entitled.

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