Bread and Boletos
This past Saturday, we here at St. Clare of Montefalco Parish experienced an echo of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. This time, however, the miracle began not with food but rather with raffle tickets (in Spanish, boletos de la rifa). The tickets, which sold for $3 each, were purchased by parishioners and their family members and friends. The prizes for the raffle were modest but meaningful: a Nativity set, a picture of the Holy Family, and $30 in gift certificates from a local grocery.
Three dollars doesn’t buy much these days. But three dollars with some generous hands multiplied hundreds of times (and supported by a donation from the Province of St. Joseph) filled 100 bags with food and personal hygiene products for families served by The Port Ministries in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. Our parish’s Posadas Project was the brainchild of our Capuchin brothers Andre Weller and MJ Groark.
Today’s parable reminds us that we don’t need a lot in order to do a lot. We only need to follow the example of Jesus: to receive what we have with gratitude, to acknowledge our blessings, and to generously and lovingly share with others. God will do the rest. –JC
Notes from a Journey - Capuchin Friar John Celichowski