Charity begins at home

Make sure your spouse has all he or she needs, and even a little luxury for their hard work and dedication to the family. Children are right there, too, although most Catholic families have already covered basic support.

The generosity I am thinking of is beyond basic needs — helping adult children get their independent lives started and get ahead at each stage of development. Giving to your family in a judicious way is the priority for generosity.

Other families

If you know another family who needs help that you can assist directly, that would be my next priority. Offering money might be awkward unless given anonymously. But a needed appliance, nice clothes you aren’t wearing anymore or physical help with the house and yard would certainly be kind and generous.

The underappreciated laborer

What I really like to do is give something to an unsuspecting, hardworking, underappreciated worker, like a custodian in a rest area on the highway.

I saw a female custodian this past week, a lovely lady replete with attractive makeup and her best clothes for work that day. She was buzzing around sweeping, picking up garbage and taking time to smile and be quietly friendly.

On my way back to the car, I told her how pretty she looked, slipped her some money and added, “Thanks for being such a happy and efficient worker.”

She smiled, motioned to her pocket and said she did not want to take it from my hand because her hands were not clean. She considered herself “unclean,” the height of humility that would have deeper meaning in Jesus’ time.

The just payment

The next focus is the hardworking person who merely wants a just wage. They deserve their due, as they want to someday live like you, who can afford to pay them.

This reminds me of actor James Garner, who was asked how he could be so greedy demanding royalties for his old shows and performances. Garner replied, “I used to be a bit embarrassed about requiring payment … until I found out how many people could afford to pay it.”

If we have the means, paying what people ask for their services without complaint or bargaining seems like a subtle way to be generous.

Make generosity easy

Consider taking a certain amount of money that fits your means and tuck it in a designated part of your wallet to use as “spontaneous charity.” Mark the amount in your accounting ledger as “Wallet Charity.”

Just keep the money tucked away, not rushing to use it. It will be readily available and already accounted for in your budget, making everyday generosity simpler.

The IRS can help

If you are 73 or over, instead of giving out of your already taxed income, you can give a portion or all of your traditional IRA required minimum distribution tax-free for both you and the qualified charities you donate it to. The intent here is not so much to save taxes, but rather to give additional motivation to be generous.

The face of Christ is around us in everyone we meet. You don’t have to go out of your way looking for him. Jesus will find you!