Francis Fernandez: Whatever food

When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Luke 10:8

“Our spirit of mortification normally consists in specific little sacrifices throughout the day: keeping up a persevering struggle in our particular examination of conscience, sobriety at meals, punctuality, being pleasant to people, getting up on time, not leaving our work for later even though we find it difficult and trying, having order in our work, and taking care of the tools or implements and materials we use, being grateful for whatever food is put in front of us, not allowing ourselves whims and fancies.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 528-529.

When I train workers around the world, at least once when we are together for a meal and I am enjoying the food they chose for us to eat, I cite this verse. It’s intentional mortification that brings people together.

I may or may not be in the mood for the food they put in front of me, and if they ask me, I pass on raw onions, but it’s important to eat what people put in front of you. Why?

Food brings people together. Eating the favorite food in someone’s home or local eatery is like sharing part of their life and culture. Part of our mortification is going with the flow and not being picky about food.

Fernandez describes this as “specific little sacrifices” which over time we realize are not small. It’s why Jesus urged people to dig in to whatever food was offered with gratitude. Bon appetit.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Revelation 3:15-18

“One of the most obvious warning signs that we are starting on the path of lukewarmness is that we give little value to the details of the life of piety, to details in our work, and to little specific acts of virtue: if we ignore these symptoms we end up paying little attention to big things as well… Love for God on the other hand is shown by our inventiveness, by our unremitting zeal, and our effort to find in everything an occasion for showing our love of God and for giving service to others.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 527-528.

One of the biggest concern for stewards I serve around the world is lukewarmness. As they age, they move to passivity and personal comfort rather than inventiveness.

God sees when we give unremitting zeal to the little tasks in life. He not only sees, He smiles because our giving service to others shows His love to the world.

Notice in today’s Scripture, that Jesus wants the church in Laodicea to go from a place of wretchedness and poverty to abounding in goodness and true riches.

They likely quit valuing, as Fernandez puts it, the little specific acts of virtue and focused on accumulating wealth. Many fall into this trap. Don’t let it be you.

Aim at inventiveness. Focus not on what you can’t do because of what you don’t have and think how can use the possessions you have to show your love for God and others.

And value the life of piety, but not for piety’s sake. It’s not like piety get’s us brownie points with God. It a formational journey. We grow on the way.

And to grow in generosity, we need to give value to the life of piety and give service to others in a way that glorifies God. This appears as gold refined by fire.

“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” Zechariah 4:10

“What is small, is small: but the one who is faithful in small things is great.”

Augustine of Hippo in On Christian Doctrine 14, 35.

Someone asked me recently when I find time to write. The key is not to find big blocks of time but to maximize small windows of time each day toward the goal of getting a finished manuscript.

Zerubbabel had a job to do. The prophet proclaimed that He would rebuild the foundation of the temple. Sounds like an impossible task! Where would he start? Trusting God, of course, and doing the work one step at a time.

Think about it. Whether God calls you to write a book, rebuild a temple, or do anything. It’s really a call to take small steps. Your most generous contribution in the lives around you is to be faithful in small things.

Today’s my mom’s birthday. She’s great because her whole life has been a series of small tasks, and she’s nailed them faithfully. Happy Birthday Mom! Thanks for setting a great example for everyone who knows you.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

“Great opportunities to serve God seldom arise, but little ones are frequent. Understand then that the one who is faithful over a few things will be placed over many. Do all things in the name of God and you will do all things well. Provided you know how to fulfill your duties properly, then ‘whether you eat or drink’, whether you sleep or take recreation or turn spit, you will profit greatly in God’s sight by doing all these things because God wishes you to do them.”

Francis de Sales in Introduction to the Devout Life III, 34.

After one of my staff members saw me preaching on at a large church in Seoul, he said this to me. “Gary, someday I want to preach at a large church like that. How do I get the opportunity?”

I said almost the same words as Francis wrote here. “Great opportunities to serve God seldom arise, but little ones are frequent. Understand then that the one who is faithful over a few things will be placed over many.”

This young staff member was the first believer in his village in Nepal. He has evangelized the entire village. Soon he may be the first person ever to receive a PhD in English in his country. So I added this.

Prakash, you will preach on larger stages. You will do even greater things than I have done. You need to focus on doing every task, big or small, with precision and excellence, and the God who sees will reward you.

This rings true for everyone reading today. Do little things well. God will give you greater opportunities over time. Related to giving, make many faithful small gifts. You will profit greatly and see your giving grow.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5

“There is no one colder than a Christian who is uninterested in the salvation of others. You must not use your poverty as an excuse. The widow who gave her mite will accuse you. Peter himself said, ‘Gold and silver have I none’ (Acts 3:6). And Paul was so poor that he often suffered hunger and was lacking in what he needed to live. You must not use as an excuse your humble background. They too were humble, of modest background. Nor should your lack of knowledge be an excuse. They were unlettered men. Slave or fugitive, you must do what you can. Such was Onesimus, and be mindful of his vocation… Do not use your poor health as an excuse. Timothy was frequently ill… Each of us can be useful to our neighbor if we do all we can.”

John Chyrsostom in Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 20.

We live in times when we have too many distractions that capture our interest and leave us uninterested in doing all we can and making the most of every opportunity in interacting with ‘outsiders’ or those not yet part of the community of faith.

And we also allow our limitations to serve as hindrances. If that’s you, I want to challenge you do have mindset change. Don’t focus on what you cannot do because of what you don’t have but focus on using what you have and making that your gift to God. I want to offer a personal story to illustrate this.

In October 2009 (15 years ago this month), I bent over to put my pants on and that act was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. I fell to the floor writhing in pain having suffered a massive herniation extrusion of my L5/S1, and the disk material when down my spinal column leaving me with stenosis.

In plain terms, like toothpaste out of a tube, my disk material went down my spinal column and pressed against the nerve root, which caused the pain. After the incident, only about 60% of the messages would make it down my leg. It left me with a limp. Since then I have not been able to do cardio, eat as much food, or play sports.

But I thank God for this thorn that happened at 40 years old. With the prognosis of successful surgery at only 50/50, it led me to take inventory of my life. I chose to let go of many things and to chose to use the parts of my body that worked completely for God, such as my mind.

I went on to finish my PhD in the UK by 2013. That changed how I used my time and my capacities. So, in the 15 years I have written 15 books. And as for activity, I walk. That’s it. I love to walk a field with our dog, a stream with a fly rod, or a path through life with people.

Let me conclude my story and this post by saying this. The decision to have mindset change, to go from self-absorbed and uninterested in the lives of others to doing all I can is not a one-time decision. It’s a daily choice. This choice has kept me posting Daily Meditations, now for 5,578 days in a row.

Stop what you are doing. Right now. Stop. Take inventory of what you have. And now, to the best of your ability, spend yourself for God. Don’t focus on what you don’t have – money, health, position – focus on what you have and use what you have for God in a manner that is useful for your neighbor.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

“Our Lord did not comment at all on the many people who contributed large amounts. But Jesus saw a woman come up who was dressed in the typical garb of widows, and who was obviously poor. She had perhaps waited for the crowd to thin out before depositing two small coins there…

If anybody had been keeping a record of the offerings made that day in the Temple, he would probably have thought it was not worth recording this widow’s contribution. We see in fact that this was the most valuable contribution of all!

It would be so pleasing to God that Jesus called together His disciples, who were scattered around the place, so that they might be taught the lesson to be learned from the widow. Those tiny pieces of copper could scarcely be heard falling into the treasury box. Jesus however clearly perceived the love of this woman who said nothing but who was giving God all her savings…

In this passage of the Gospel, we also learn the true value of things. We can turn everything that happens, no matter how inconsequential it may seem, into something very pleasing to God. And because it is pleasing to Him, it is turned into something of great value. Only those things we make pleasing to God have any true and eternal value.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 524-526.

As we continue to follow Jesus, we discover that little things are not little – “no matter how inconsequential it may seem” – our small gifts given with great love and sacrifice are pleasing to God.

Recently, I was training a Christian worker from a poor country. He asked pointedly, “What difference do my small gifts make?” I explained that Christ looks not at what we give but what we don’t give.

I elaborated that when Jesus celebrated the widow’s gift, He emphasized that she put in everything she had to live on. It was not the size of the gift, but her willingness to sacrifice that He celebrates.

This inspires me to challenge everyone reading this to “turn everything that happens, no matter how inconsequential it may seem, into something very pleasing to God.”

Take note of the small spaces in your schedule. Look at the little things in your life. Consider how giving that extra time or putting those remaining resources to work, could produce much fruit.

And put a smile on the face of Jesus.

Speaking of smiles, I have a smile today too. Today’s a special day for our son and his wife. It’s Sammy and Emily’s fifth wedding anniversary. Wow, how time flies!

We plan to give them our evening and credit card so they can enjoy a special date night. Of course, this returns to use the precious gift of grandma and grandpa time. Not a small thing.

And [Jesus] asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Matthew 22:20-21

“Caesar looks for his own likeness, give it to him. God looks for His own likeness: give it back to Him. Do not cause Caesar to lose his coin because of you. Do not cause God to lose His coin among you.”

Augustine of Hippo in Commentary on Psalm 57, 11 as cited by Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 503-504.

As we explore this powerful response of Jesus, the words ‘give back’ stand out to me.

Jesus wants us to demonstrate responsible citizenship on earth while living our lives wholly and completely for Him. Since God owns everything, including us (remember He purchased you and I with the blood of Christ), we get to give our lives back as living sacrifices.

This runs contrary to worldly thinking which beckons us to live for ourselves, to keep as much of the money we earn for ourselves, and to contribute as little as possible to the advancing the gospel as well as the common good.

I am not saying stewards should not minimize their taxes to maximize their giving. I am merely urging us to see everything as belonging to God so that “He does not lose His coin among us.”

In plain terms, if we say we belong to Him but we don’t look like Him, He loses His coin among us.

Father in heaven, in a world filled with toxic ownership and entitlement thinking, we want to live out faithful stewardship and generosity. Help us give back by reflecting your likeness in all we say and do, by the power of the Holy Spirit we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch Him in his words. They came to Him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” He asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at Him. Mark 12:13-17

“Some Pharisees came to Jesus and tried to catch Him out in His speech, so they might bring an accusation against Him. With this end in view, they asked Him maliciously whether it is lawful to pay the tribute to Caesar or not… They wanted to see Jesus taking sides, letting everybody know whether He was in favor of this Roman tax or against it… If our Lord were to say ‘yes’, they would be able to accuse Him of recommending collaboration with the Roman power, a foreign denomination which the Jews hated because it was imposed on them by an invading force. If He answered ‘no’, they would be able to accuse Him of rebelliousness against Pilate, the Roman authority.

To come down either in favor of the tax or against it would mean, after all, that He would be telling them whether He approved of or rejected the lawfulness of the politico-social situation in which the Jewish people found themselves. Whatever He said, He would appear either to sympathize and collaborate with the occupying power or to encourage the latent rebelliousness of the Jews… Jesus does not evade the question, but by His answer expresses it in its true terms. The State should not elevate itself to the divine level, and the Church should not take sides in temporal affairs which are constantly changing and which are of no more than relative importance.

By replying as He did, He showed His opposition as much to the Pharisees’ widespread error of the day about a messianic mission that was political, as He did to the error of the Roman State’s – or of any State’s – interfering in religious matters. By His answer, our Lord clearly establishes two separate and distinct spheres of competence… As Christians, therefore, we must never fall into the mistake that Christ Himself was so careful to avoid: of uniting the gospel message, which is universal, to a particular political system – ‘Caesar’.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 498-500.

As we find ourselves in election season in the USA, this text and lesson seem fitting to ponder over the next few days as we think about generosity in a world filled with political debate and diverse opinions.

Let us be generous with our carefulness not to connect the universal gospel with a political system. That may sound odd, but it emerges in my mind as the message from the Lord for us today.

Notice, Jesus finds Himself in the presence of some really smart people, in what we might describe as a no-win situation. We learn what to do in such situations by watching Him and taking good notes.

He does not join the fight for one side or the other or attach the gospel to either side. He rises above the debate. That’s what we must be careful to do in divisive times to preserve and advance the gospel.

And we must follow the example of Jesus who both demonstrates carefulness and renders everything to God. May this example help each of us in human interactions and our generosity over the next two weeks in USA.

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23

“The lack of real fruit in our apostolate can also arise from passivity, from the absence of deeds of love. And if activism is bad and sterile, passivity is deadly, for it can lead us to think that we love God because we perform works of piety: it is true that these pious exercises are carried out, but not perfectly, since they do not move us to good actions.

Such barren pious practices are like the useless and sterile foliage of the fig tree, because true interior life will inevitably lead to a vigorous apostolate: in every situation it impels us to act with courage, daring, and initiative… Today, as we converse with our Lord in these moments of prayer, we can examine ourselves as to whether there is fruit in our life, now, this very moment.

Do I have initiative, as an overflow of my interior life, of my prayer? Or do I think, on the contrary, that in my surroundings – in my class, in the factory, in the office – I can do nothing, that it’s impossible to anything more for God? Do I give my time, do I help effectively in apostolic tasks… or do I ‘only pray’? Do I try to justify myself, saying that between my work, my family, and my devotional practices ‘I haven’t got any time’?

If that were the case, it would also mean that the circumstances of work and family life had cease to be an occasion for apostolate…And if our Lord were to find us passive, content to perform pious practices without the accompaniment of a cheerful and constant apostolate, then perhaps He might say to us in our heart: more deeds, please and fewer excuses.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 463.

Don’t let the word ‘apostolate’ intimidate you. Hear it as ‘missional living’ with intentionality and cheerfulness. And hear the call to avoid the extremes of activism (yesterday) and passivity (today).

Our lives, our families, our work, and our everyday focus will be ‘missional’ in nature if we have a vibrant interior life. I represents the overflow. So, if you want to grow in generosity, cultivate your walk with Jesus.

He wants to see the fruit of generosity in your life more than you do. Cultivate that connection with Him and then let Him deploy you. Remain faithful, available, and teachable. But know this.

While the Spirit will not lead you to activism nor passivity, it will lead to joy-filled generosity and also make you feel uncomfortable. You will have indescribable peace and yet have your faith stretched.

Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit. When He reached it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Mark 11:13

“Jesus finds only leaves… Having an interior life means living with God’s vision, seeing our apostolic task from His viewpoint. Apostolic fruit cannot be lasting when a Christian falls prey to activism, which is the tendency to be ‘doing things’, to rush around, without the support of a deep prayer life. In the end, the furious activity turns out to be sterile and ineffective, and is often the sign of a lack of rectitude of intention.

It is purely human activity without any supernatural perspective. It is perhaps the consequence of ambition, of a desire to attract attention, which can infect everything we do, even the most sublime of undertakings. So there is good reason for stressing the danger of activism – of multiplying deeds which, though good in themselves, have no interior life to support them. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, and many authors after him, called such works accursed occupations.

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 463.

This year the garden at my home produced an abundance of cucumbers. There were lots of leaves and a load of cucumbers, so Jenni and I had enjoyed and shared many cucumbers and had fun learning to make pickles.

It has been quite a joy for us to find much fruit on those cucumber vines.

But the pumpkins have been another story. The vines have taken over the garden side of our house, but like the fig tree, when we have searched for pumpkins, like Jesus when He looked for figs, largely speaking, we found only leaves.

The vines look great with big green leaves, but we found little fruit.

I guess the pumpkin plant needed pollination for the flowers to make pumpkins. That pollination reminds me of the interior life that needs to be cultivated, the soul that must be fed, before fruit will blossom.

To avoid the danger of activism (doing things for God), abide in Christ and you will bear much fruit.

Ponder this. Are you doing yourself to death? Or is God producing 30-, 60-, or even 100-fold fruit in your life in a way that brings Him glory. Only you can answer this.

Avoid the danger of activism which links to doing things for God.

Jesus neither wants nor needs our help, and yet, He really wants to produce a bumper crop in and through us. He wants to see more than leaves but to do this we must abide in the vine.