“You ask me to what you must avoid becoming attached: You must be attached to nothing, neither fortune, nor relations, nor directors, nor interior consolation; there must be nothing in the world which we are not ready to forego without trouble if God asks it of us.”
Claude de la Colombière (1641-1682) in a letter as recounted in The Quotable Saint, ed. by R. E. Guiley (New York, 2002) 4.
I am excited to have arrived safely home after a fruitful trip to Egypt, and I am blessed to enjoy some family time for Christmas. But why this post and how does it relate to generosity on the eve of Christmas?
For many, Christmas is about the giving of things that people may really want. This group of people needs to avoid becoming attached to things because they do not provide the satisfaction they promise.
Others find Christmas to be a painful and lonely time because they mourn the loss or separation from loved ones. This group has learned that attachment to people is not the path to lasting peace.
Christmas is about attaching to the greatest gift for all humankind, Jesus Christ. Attach to Him and find satisfaction, hope, help, peace, joy and everything that earthly attachments can’t deliver.
God often removes our earthly attachments for our growth. Most of the time, it’s really painful. So our generosity may be giving testimony to others how attaching to Christ has changed our lives and can transform theirs too.