Since God has promised to provide for all of our temporal needs, why do we get so worried about them and hold on to them so fearfully instead of sharing as He has taught us!?
Francis tells a parable about a King and a poor peasant woman whom He married. Francis explained that he is this peasant woman and the King is, of course, our Heavenly Father. The children (Francis' followers) are raised in the home of their poor mother and she tells them to not focus on their poverty. She says they are actually the children of a King who has limitless wealth - their future inheritance. The 'King' is speaking at this point in the parable . . .
"'. . . Do not fear. For if even strangers are fed at my table, it is the more fair that I have those fed there on whom all the inheritance entails by legal right . . .' The King of kings has told me that He will provide for the children born of me . . . For if the Lord gives worldly goods to strangers because of His love for his children who are in need of provision, much more will He be bounteous to people who live according to the Gospel, since to them it is due by right."
Francis and his followers were utterly poor. However, this was by choice because some of them, before joining Francis, had been rich. Francis had made it clear that he lived 'without property'. His early followers were not allowed to have ANYTHING if they wished to follow him - except one set of clothes and a copy of the Rule.
How were their needs met? They worked for food and if cheated of their pay, begged. If no work was available they begged. They refused pay or alms in money and accepted only food or whatever else they might need. Their lives were simple and hard yet they were also filled with great freedom, peace and joy - because of their faith in a good God who always provided! Their needs were meet by a knowing, loving and generous God.
Although people may have wondered how the brothers could survive, Francis never doubted. He never forgot that it was God for whom he had forsaken everything and his God was able to give them all they needed. He reminded his followers about the way God had provided for the Israelites every day, for 40 years, in the desert wilderness - both their daily bread and water aplenty - for a million people! He reminded them of how Jesus multiplied the loaves. Francis realized (and tried to help his followers realize) that God would definitely provide for them. After all God owned all things and provided, every day, for all of His other creatures. These were, after all, His own beloved children whom He loved with all of His heart!
Francis calls some men 'strangers' in the passage above. These were people who did not really trust in God and chose not to rely upon the promises of Christ (given us in the Gospel) for their daily lives ('nominal' Catholics.) Francis explained that God not only provided for these 'strangers' but provided enough for them to also give to His poor, including the 'holy poor' - those who relied on Gospel promises.
Francis looked on it as a matter of justice: that God had an obligation to meet their needs. In his parable he used the words 'fair', 'inheritance' and 'legal right', putting them in the mouth of the 'King'. Justice (and who is more just than God!) demanded that those who chose to follow Jesus in faith should have their needs met by Him!
What does all of this have to do with Seculars? All children of God, whether 'Religious' or layman, must realize that it is God who provides for our needs. Just because laymen are allowed (by God) to have worldly goods doesn't mean that we should rely on these things for our safety or prosperity. "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God," Jesus said. It is only in God, His will and Word, that we should place our trust (just like our currency says)!
Francis and his followers relied on God to give them what they needed for the day, each day. They allowed God to prove thereby that He is both able and willing to 'give us this day, our daily bread'. Jesus and His disciples also lived on alms. When funds and bread ran short and Jesus' disciples became worried, Jesus chided them, "You of little faith! Do you still not believe?!" He reminded them that God would provide for them in the same way He had done so when He multiplied the loaves and fish for thousands of people right before their eyes!
Do we believe that God will meet all of our needs? Francis knew that if God willingly gave up His own precious Son for love of us, He wouldn't hesitate to give us all other good things as well - including what we needed to live.
We should take courage from Francis' example of faith. We should not (like the 'strangers'), invest our thoughts and desires primarily in the pursuit of this world's temporal goods (which cannot ever satisfy our deepest desires and that are unreliable - 'here today, gone tomorrow'). Neither should we worry about health care, employment, investments or the millions of other things 'strangers' worry about. We know that God cares for us, has promised to provide all we need, so there is no need to worry.
This doesn't mean that we can be careless with our responsibilities. We should be conscientious and invest wisely for the future. However, after putting out our best efforts, we should not allow worry to get the best of us but trust in God to work it out and draw deeply, from our faith in Him, on His infinite peace.
When we are blessed by God with good things, we should not give in to selfishness. With these blessings comes the responsibility to try to meet the needs of those less fortunate. Just because God has blessed us doesn't mean we have the right to misuse those blessings. If our focus is on satisfying unreasonable 'fleshy' desires, of appeasing our selfish lust for luxury, pleasure and material comfort when others cannot even feed themselves, then we are not following God, His heart is broken for the poor in their misery, pain and sorrow. We, as the children of God, should rejoice and take advantage of every opportunity He gives us to help His poor.
PRAYER: Lord God, you are ever faithful to us and bless us all, each day, with everything we need to live well and to do good. Help us to realize it is from Your hand that all these good things come and that we owe You thanks for it all. Remind us that our eyes should stay on You, the Giver, rather than on the 'gifts'. Help us to receive these gifts always with thanks and teach us to always share. Help us realize the abundance You give us is given, at least in part, to share with Your beloved children who suffer in their need. Francis relied on You totally, for everything, and was free in peace and joy because of that. Help us to live in the same way and show the world, by our joyful faith, that You exist and that You 'reward those who diligently seek' You. Help us to be a light in the darkness and a sign pointing the way to our eternal home. We know that home is Your heart - ever flowing like a spring with precious and pure love. Amen.
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