By Debby Giusti

Today’s Gospel reading—the parable about Lazarus hungering for scraps from the rich man’s table, in Luke 16:19-31—takes me back to when I was an Army wife, living with my military husband and three young children at Fort Polk, Louisiana. We hadn’t been on post long when I heard that same Gospel proclaimed at daily Mass and was convinced the Lord was asking me to feed the poor.

Following the liturgy, I raced to nearby Leesville, a small town with its fair share of impoverished folks, and searched for a location to establish a food bank for the needy. I found a building that seemed ideal and then circled through town identifying businesses that might provide assistance and other churches that could aid in the outreach.

On fire like the early Christians, I drove home, envisioning the ministry I planned to organize, but after making a few phone calls, I learned about the successful food bank already in operation. Those in need were well served and well fed in that small Louisiana town. God did not need another food bank. What He did need was my willingness to follow Him.

After prayerful consideration, I accepted a volunteer position with the Military Council of Catholic Women and later worked within the Cursillo movement. Had I been involved in the food bank, I wouldn’t have had the time or energy to tackle the jobs the Lord wanted me to do.

Thankfully, over the years, God has provided a multitude of ways for me to minister to his people, but I still think back to my somewhat overzealous response to the Gospel so long ago, when I learned that discernment is an important facet of discipleship. Equally important is remaining open to the Lord’s prompting no matter where he calls me to labor—to feed the Lazaruses of our day, to minister within the church community or to write a blog reflection on the Gospel message. All have value in the Kingdom of God.

Where is the Lord asking you to serve?

About the Author:

Debby Giusti is a bestselling author of Christian suspense, with more than a half million books in print. Her work has won numerous accolades, including two Daphne du Maurier Awards for Inspirational Suspense and the National Readers’ Choice Award. A lifelong Catholic, Army wife and mother of three, Debby shares the love of Christ, one story at a time. Visit Debby online at DebbyGiusti.com and Facebook.