From Scarcity to Abundance

The Feast of St. Nicholas of Myra (12/6), a fourth century bishop of Greek descent, reminds us of the generosity and abundance he shared with those in need. St. Nicholas teaches us a facet of God that can help us to respond, not with a mindset of scarcity, but rather one of abundance.

In college, on those stressful days when the weather was dark, wet and cold and it happened to be shrimp popper night at the dining hall, all I desired was a big scoop of greasy, deep-fried comfort food that pretended to be shrimp. So, on those nights when they ran out, I practically cried. There just wasn’t enough to go around. Yes, my world was quite small then.

Why do we tend toward scarcity? In the backs of our minds, we seem to ask: Will there be enough left? Let’s think bigger than fried food. Consider how we tend to see these things as limited: time, energy, room, food, jobs, shelter, money, or even God’s grace.  

The Gospel from Matthew 15:29-37 tells the story of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fish to feed 4,000 people. Abundance for everyone. Eucharist foretold. Time and time again, Jesus abundantly provided. Whether it was food, healing, forgiveness of sins, words of truth or the ultimate gift of his life, Jesus responded fully. We can seldom say that Jesus ever “runs out” because there is no scarcity where abundance thrives. 

Let us be generous, not just in the Advent and Christmas seasons, but always. With our loved ones and with strangers, let us offer a little more than we think we can. We realize that many people truly live in scarcity, unsure of the next meal, without family or community, or lacking health insurance or protection from war. Like St. Nicholas, but especially like Jesus, let us do what we can to alleviate suffering or provide what others might need.