SOME CALL IT "KARMA"

 THE RETURN THAT COMES FROM HELPING OTHERS  

 

"Those who water others will themselves be watered."

Proverbs 11:25

I am a project addict. I swore off church projects a year or two ago, but I have had a relapse. I take on these projects to help others, for sure, but I also do it because of the good that comes to me from doing them. Some call it "karma." The Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs says "karma" is the Hindu view of causality in which good thoughts, deeds, and words, may lead to beneficial effects, while bad thoughts, deeds, and words, may lead to harmful effects. Jesus put it this way. "Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." (Luke 6:38)

I also love having partners in my mission projects. It's not just about having people to share the burden of funding, but it's also having someone to share those good feelings and sheer joy that comes from helping other people out of their difficult situations. In the end, to be able to say "we did it" feels a lot better than "I did it!"

My newest project, a new St. Veronica Church in Kenya, is coming along quite nicely. (See the blog post for March 6 below.) We are not "there" yet, but seeing the light at the end of the tunnel already makes me think that the completion is not that far off. I am feeling very "blessed" right now and I hope that the people who stepped in to help will by now be feeling "blessed" as well.

Soon we will all have the joy of looking at photos of the completed church, looking at the photos of the local dedication celebration and knowing that the poor people of St. Veronica Parish will be praying for us from a country on the other side of the world! All of this together is going to make our LENT 2025 "different" and "very special."