Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Can I have that for my scraps?” This is the phrase I hear from my wife every time we go on vacation or do something special. As a hobby, she enjoys making scrapbooks of our travels and important memories from her life and the years we’ve been together.  I’ve never really considered saving trail maps from hiking spots or even a wrist band from concerts I’ve been to. In my mind, these are just small things that aren’t necessarily as important as the experience we’re going through. But to my wife, these small things are the most essential part of preserving the experience through the artform of making scrap books. She transforms the simplest pieces of materials into extraordinary and beautiful works of art. Whether it’s paper, plastic or even actual flowers from our wedding day, she always sees the value in them and transforms them into something new.

Jesus introduces the Pharisees to two people. A rich man who had an excess of everything while the other person was left scraping the floor for food to eat. In this story, the rich man who had more than enough to eat never thought once about feeding Lazarus, who was visibly hungry and in need. The rich man was obviously aware of his presence but chose not to do anything to help. When they both faced judgement, the rich man regretted not doing more for Lazarus and ultimately, he paid the price for not sharing his earthly treasures with the needy.

I identified with the rich man in this situation. Hearing about his story made me realize that I’ve been complacent with sharing my wealth with others who need it more than I do. The readings the past few weeks have all shown us that we need to be good stewards of God’s kingdom. What he has given us must also be shared with those who have less. If we’re not taking the time to reflect and intentionally look outside our own lives, we can get into the habit of living every day without seeing others who need help. Like the rich man who was content on living his life in abundance, earthly treasures can lead us to only thing about ourselves and our own needs. God calls us to take care of each other here on earth, so let’s take time to make sure that we’re doing all we can to share our time, treasure and talents with others.

Needless to say, I’ve found a new appreciation for these “scraps” that my wife always saves. Being aware of their importance, I save them for her and even go out to buy her some materials that might be of use for her art. When I became aware that there was a need for something as little as “scraps”, I was able to then give more than just left-over things to my wife. If people appreciate the small left-overs, how much more can they benefit from the bigger gifts?

Jesus is calling us to intentionally give more than just left-overs. This week, let’s set aside time to pray instead of praying when we have nothing else to do. Let’s strive to give more than just spare time to hang out with our family or friends. Let’s work towards giving more than just the change in our pockets. God is asking us to continue to be his hands and feet here on earth so that one day, we can all celebrate and live with him in heaven.