Not giving, but returning

Fr. Livio Tonello, director

How often do we feel a sense of fulfilment because we have given something to someone! We part with an object, a bit of our time, or perhaps some money to help those in need. This gesture undoubtedly has value, showing sensitivity and generosity. But what have we actually given? In most cases, it is something over and above what we required ourselves – a portion of our surplus, which is non-essential. Please do not take this as a moralizing observation meant to diminish the value of sharing. It is simply the realisation that we have given from our “extra”. We have been generous, avoiding the temptation to hoard and the risk of being perceived as selfish. Yet, we can take this reflection a step deeper: the act of giving is, in reality, a form of “restitution” - a returning of what we owe. We are simply returning what we ourselves have first received. Think of the gift of time granted to us each day, our health, our well-being, providence... Everything is a gift, including our innate talents and the skills we have acquired to produce something useful. Let us not forget that God is the source of all good: it is He who freely bestows everything upon His creation; we inherit His benevolence and unconditional love. Therefore, when we give to others, we are merely returning what is His. Moreover, many of the things we enjoy or savour every day - even a simple cup of coffee - have not always involved fair compensation for the people who produced them. October is the month of National Giving Day, which coincides with the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (October 4), a man second to none when it came to selflessness. In a society fractured by vast social disparities, we must foster a culture of gratuity and sharing. As an Association, we know this all too well. We encounter the faces of so many men and women in need during our daily bread distribution and through the meals served at the city’s Cucine Economiche Popolari (Soup Kitchens). A culture of giving is not simply about handing out charity or alms. It means viewing earthly goods not as “mine”, but as “ours” - as something held in common which, only when shared, can bring about a smile, restore dignity, and nurture true fraternity.