Investing with Faith / Jolinda Moore

Like a child, find pure joy in the selfless act of giving

I heard them come in after a few hours of shopping. My young son, Joseph, was smiling ear to ear. He walked past me and headed straight for the den.

A few moments passed, and he reappeared with his smile widening. He said, “In case you are wondering, we did not get you a candle for Christmas.”

I replied, “You didn’t? I wonder what it could be.” His face lit up even more and a small giggle escaped as he said yet again, “Well, it is not a candle.”

That is the joy of giving through the eyes of a child. The anticipation is so great it can’t be contained. My son wanted nothing more than to surprise me on Christmas morning, but he could not hold it in; he had to give a glimpse of what was to come. He had to share with me the joy that he felt about a gift he was going to give.

This sort of joyful giving is what we are called to in St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).

There are many reasons why people give: it is their duty to give, they want to make an impactful difference, they were asked to give, they are looking to offset their tax liability, they feel called by the Holy Spirit to support a mission. But it is the “how” that is most important.

What is your spirit when you give? Do you find yourself simply going through the motions of giving with little reaction or emotion? Or do you give as an act of gratitude for graces bestowed on you by Jesus Christ?

As we await the coming of our Lord and Savior this Christmas, I pray that you find time to reflect on how you give.

It is my prayer that each of us gives with the energy of a child who finds pure joy in giving. It is this type of giving that is a bright light in the day, and a reflection of the hope-filled people that we are called to be.
 

(Jolinda Moore is the executive director of the archdiocesan Office of Stewardship and Development. For more information about giving opportunities within the archdiocese’s Catholic Community Foundation, please call 1-800-382-9836, ext. 1482 or ccf@archindy.org. Or visit its website at www.archindy.org/CCF.) †