Ice Cream Alms - More Seeds of Hope

Today’s story seed is Ice Cream Alms. From the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 58:6-7 This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly…Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Listen to this story seed. From the starting moment he was elected, Pope Francis has kept the poor and vulnerable on his mind. He modeled for the world that he didn’t need a driver and a special car, that he would be happy to take the bus and to carry his own bags. These were acts of solidarity with the poor. In recent years, he has turned to the Our Father prayer to convey a simple but often overlooked message. When we pray “give us this day our daily bread” the Pope says we must remember that the bread we ask for is not mine but ours. The Pope teaches us that the bread is not just bread, but “water, medicine, home, work…all that is necessary to live.” And as it turns out, ice-cream, as well. Like much of the world, Rome experienced record hot days this summer and fall. Conditions in the prisons were very difficult. The Pope and his charitable team arranged to have a special delivery to two Rome prisons. They brought 15,000 ice-creams to be distributed to the prisoners. They were delivered in the Pope’s name by Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who is known as “the pope’s almoner.” That is the person who distributes alms to the needy. As reported in the Vatican News, the ice-creams were part of a series of “small evangelical gestures” designed “to help and give hope to thousands of people in Rome’s prisons.” The donations and thoughtful gestures from Pope Francis didn’t stop with ice-cream. They have given food, medical equipment, and money to needy people around the globe. Alms giving is one of our traditions during Lent. But, notice these charitable gifts given by Pope Francis’ team did not take place during Lent. That’s because what we do in Lent is not about the 40 days before Easter. It is about changing our lives for the long run. Ideally, we don’t reach out to the poor to fulfill simply an obligation during Lent. Reach into your heart and find what God is asking, inviting, encouraging you to do—not just during Lent, but throughout the rest of your life. Here’s the final scoop. Share your ice cream! Now let’s take 30 seconds to water the seed… How can you show your solidarity with the poor? Written by Tom Sparough Dramatized by Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ Produced by Nathaniel Stubblefield Copyright 2022 by Heart to Heart, A Catholic Media Ministry Inc.