Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 15, 2026
Many years ago, the Chinatown basketball team, the Philadelphia Suns, was hosting the annual North American Chinese Basketball tournament. We had to raise a lot of money. I helped by asking local businesses to make donations. I was talking about this with a teen basketball player who told me that he could not understand why anyone would help kids whom they did not know. I told him that people understood that a well organized basketball program is a good way to help young people grow to become productive adults. But the young man kept asking, why would anyone give any of his money to help people he does not know.
Actually it is a good question. Why would anyone donate money that they can use for themselves to any charity or church?
Americans donate a lot of money and support countless churches, charities and social service programs. Why? Perhaps some people make minimal donations just because it is expected. But some people make generous donations, denying themselves luxuries and even necessities to support organizations that they believe in. Why?
People give because it makes them happy to give. In fact, truly generous people love to donate for causes that they believe in. Jesus once told 
a parable about a man who loved pearls, whose life's work was to buy and sell beautiful pearls. One day he found a pearl more beautiful than any he had ever seen. So he sold everything he had to buy the pearl. He was mesmerized by that pearl's beauty. He had to have it and his other possessions no longer meant anything to him.
People donate generously to organizations or causes that they truly love. And a donor usually feels good about donating. I am not talking about a minimal donation. That is often just a social convention. I am speaking of a person who is generous and who then feels very good about giving.
Churches exist only because of the goodwill of donors. Sometimes people give because the church is important to them personally. People give to the church where they belong or attend because the church provides something that they want for their own lives.
But sometimes people give because they love what the church stands for, what the church does for others. Giving in this spirit is love. It is sacrifice.
The friars can tell you that I pray every day at our friary morning prayer for our benefactors, for those people whose generosity allows Saint John's to thrive. Saint John's is a beautiful church with an even more beautiful work of service. I hope and pray that God will continue to bless Saint John's with benefactors who give because of love. I want Saint John's to have benefactors who love our church and who love to help.
Even though I love Saint John's and understand why others also love this church and its ministry, I hope that you will also come to love at least one other Catholic ministry of charity. Catholics generously support Catholic Relief Services which assists poor people throughout the world. We also have local Catholic agencies that make a huge difference for our poor brothers and sisters. Wherever you give, I hope that you fall in love with some Christ-centered organization and that you give out of love.
To support St. John's financially, please go to our Donate section.
