Jesuit Journeys
Winter 2002
The Jesuit Partnership
Guest Column
Generosity kindles a spirit of hope
 | | Bernie and Steve Graff Elm Grove, Wisconsin |
Life has taught us that there is certainly a degree of truth to the old adage “it’s better to give than receive.” Life has also shown us, however, that the benefits of giving are more complex than that adage might indicate.
There is an exchange in the act of giving that can be life altering at times though sometimes unseen. The exchange is a subtle but inherent part of the process. Measuring it in dollars and cents is difficult because this bottom line is affected by a unique kind of “compound interest” that takes a very broad range of non-monetary factors into account. Our life together was irreversibly touched by one such exchange many years ago.
It happened when I (Steve) applied and was accepted at Marquette University. Financial resources were scarce at the time. My options were limited, and it was doubtful I would be able to attend. I received a scholarship, however, named after and made possible by a gift from Mr. Robert A. Johnson, one of the university’s generous benefactors. I was struck by this form of generosity – a generosity that sought no response.
Over the years, however, we learned what Mr. Johnson must also have known either when he made the gift, or soon after. Simply, that while such generosity seeks no response, repeated responses are inherent in the act of giving.
Partly because of that education, we have been blessed with a wonderful, successful life that includes children, grandchildren, and a warm home in which they are always welcome. We have friends and freedom and have developed financial resources to be somewhat philanthropic ourselves.
We started out wanting to give something back, to make a difference. Simultaneously, however, we discovered the very act of giving felt good. OK, that made sense, because as we stated above, we’ve all been told it’s better to give than receive.
There seemed something more to it than that, though. Having felt hope from someone else’s gift, we knew the potential of an act of kindness. In wanting to make a difference, we hoped for a positive effect from our gifts. That’s when we realized the wonderful and immediate benefit there is for both donor and recipient each time a gift is made.
Each gift, from the simplest to the most elaborate, creates an exchange of hope. The young man or woman who takes time to assist an elderly person feels good about offering their help. They find hope that the recipient of their kindness is encouraged in some way. They also receive a measure of hope from the act.
The same holds true in the act of praying for others. Those in need take hope knowing that people are praying for them. And praying for others creates hope that our prayers will be answered, perhaps in some way unknown to us, but answered nonetheless.
In this complex and sometimes somber world, hope is a very precious thing. Helping others by whatever means available to you generates an ongoing cycle of hope.
Somewhere along the line, Mr. Johnson learned from the Jesuits that it is our duty as Christians and Catholics to help build a better world, to be men and women for others. One of the ways he responded was by establishing a scholarship fund.
Over the years we, too, looked for ways to give thanks for the blessings in our lives. We started in an effort to “even the score” for an important gift, an act of charity that was a college scholarship. We have come to understand that such scores can’t be evened because we are not playing against one another; we are working together for a better world.
One of the ways we’ve chosen to do that is by supporting the Jesuits who are dedicated to being Christ for others. We find great hope in that.
And no matter where or how you give it, how you receive it, or where you find it, there can never be too much hope.
For information on ways to support the Jesuits and their ministries, contact Mr. Jack Paquette,
vice president - development. Tele: 800-537-3736
Email: jack.paquette@jesuitswisprov.org
Return to Winter 2002 issue
Previous Article: Ignatian Spirituality: Fr. Gene Merz, SJ and Sr. Carol Ann Smith, SHCJ talk about how we listen helps to bridge the gender gap.
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