Lesson 7

Sharing in Jesus' Life and Teaching

                            Jesus came for those who suffer hunger and thirst, those who are afflicted by various diseases and those who are over burdened by their sins.  He gave himself totally for them. He gave them his flesh and blood and his entire life. The disciples of Jesus should be marked by this quality of sharing.

                        John, the Baptist, the fore runner of Jesus told thepeople that those who had two coats should share with those who had none and do the same with food. (Lk.3:11). The message of sharing shows clearly in Jesus' teaching He asked his disciples to give freely what theyhad received as gifts. To the one who would take away your coat, give your cloak as well. While giving alms, the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing. (Mt. 10:8; 5:40-42; 6:3-4). The same message of sharing is brought home in the parable of the Good Samaritan.Jesus multiplied bread in order to share it with those who were hungry. The Church, called to follow the example and teaching of Jesus, is bound to be a sharing community

The Example of the Early Church

                           The early Church lived in its fullness the compassion of Jesus and His readiness to share. Weread in the Acts of the Apostles, the community of believers was of one heart and one soul. Nobody claimed anything as his own. Everything was held in common and there was no one in want among them.For,they sold everything they had and brought the proceeds and laid it at the feet of the apostles and distribution was made according to each one's need (Acts 4:32-36). Weread in the Acts, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship,to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). As they continued to grow in their generosity and good will to share, there was no one who suffered poverty or want among them.

The Teaching of the Early Church

                                                       We should grow in our generosity and readiness to share with others in imitationof Jesus who though he was rich, became poor for our sake. St. Paul in his letter to thePhilippians teaches us on alms giving and charity (Phil. 4:15-18). God loves those whogive cheerfully (2 Cor. 9:7). Alms giving is an acceptable sacrifice to God. Apostle James tells us that we should show our faith in action by helping those who are in need. “If abrother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go inpeace; keep warm and eat your fill”, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what isthe good of that? so faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:15-17). Thedisciples urged the early Christian community to share with others through their teachings and examples with a generous heart.

                                                      The breaking of the bread in the early Church was an occasion of sharing with the poor. St. Paul scolded the Church in Corinth for neglecting the poor during the'agape' at the Lord's supper. Paul wanted to collect money to help the poor Church inJudea. “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save what ever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come” (1 Cor. 16:2).

The Hope of Resurrection as the Motive Force for Sharing

                                          It was the hope of resurrection that motivated the early Christians to share what they had, with the needy ones. Another motive force that prompted them to share wasthe teaching of Jesus about the final Judgment at the end of time and how he would address the just and say that when they did it to the least of his brethren, they did it to him. Those who put all their trust in material things can never share. Only those who puttheir trust in God and believe in resurrection and eternal life can share what they have with others. The awareness that everything in the world is perishable and nothing material can be carried away when one dies, prompts people to share what they have with others. They are urged to engage themselves in charitable deeds and sharing of material resources so that they may reap its fruit in eternal life.

The Eucharistic Sacrifice and Sharing

                                                    The Eucharistic sacrifice, which is at the very centre of Christian life, urges and enables us to share. The bread that we break and the cup that we share at the Eucharistic table is a strong invitation and call to the worshipping community, to share what they have with the poor while living out their Christian lives. As believers, who participate in the Eucharistic sacrifice, we should be prepared to share with others all that we have. We really become witnesses of sharing when we give our knowledge, ourtime, our wealth and our health for the well being of others, especially the poor, the sick,the aged and the abandoned 

A Sharing Church

                          Sharing is the fundamental nature of the Church which is the body of Christ. Whenone member of the body suffers pain, itaffects the entire body and steps will be takento relieve that pain. In the same way, in thebody of Christ, the Church, we should engageourselves in charitable deeds to relieve thesufferings of others.

                              The majority of the world population who are poor, find their hope in the Charity and sharing of the Church. The institutions managed by the Catholic Church use theirresources for the common good and not for the individual benefit of those who run these institutions. We can see this spirit reflected in the educational institutions, hospitals,orphanages, counseling centers, hospitals for the mentally retarded, boys' homes,homes for the aged, centers for the care of cancer patients and aids patients and rehabilitation centers for those who are released from prisons.

                                      The Church is proud of Fr. Damien who lived and died for lepers, St. Vincent dePaul who dedicated his total life for the care of the poor and the abandoned, and Mother Teresa who became a model of Charity and love for the entire world  The Church shouldbe always at the beck and call of the poor, the abandoned and the persecuted. Themembers of the Church should actively participate in works of charity and become witnesses of a sharing Church in the world.

Word of Godto Read and

Meditate

Word of God to Remember

Let us Pray

My Resolution

To Think with the Church

Similarly, the Church encompasses with her love all those who are

afflicted by human misery and she recognizes in those who are poorand who suffer, the image of her poor and suffering founder.She does all in her power to relieve their need and in them she strives  to serve Christ. (Vat. II, The Church, No. 8)

To Know the Mother Church