Santa Verena Charity

About Santa Verena Charity

Our Lord Jesus Christ went about doing good by healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, raising the dead, and calling sinners to repentance. The needy and weary souls came to Him and found in Him peace and comfort. Our Lord Jesus Christ is still doing good with us on a daily basis. Therefore, we pray in the Prayer of Thanksgiving saying, "Let us give thanks to the Beneficent God ." Indeed, He is beneficent, and as His children, we should follow His example in being beneficent and going about doing good deeds.

In fact, doing good deeds are essential for our spiritual lives. We sin not only when we do bad acts, but also when we abstain from doing good. The Scriptures teach us, "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4: 17) Additionally, good works will be the basis for our judgment on Judgment Day. When our Lord Jesus Christ talked bout the universal judgment in Matthew 25: 31-46, He mentioned that all nations will gather before Him and He will separate them as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Those on His right hand will hear His voice saying, "Come, you blessed of My Fr., inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." While to those on the left hand, He will say, " Depart from Me, you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Those on His right hand are the ones who followed Christ’s example in doing good. Therefore, they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, took in the stranger, clothed the naked, visited the sick, and went to the prisoner. While those on the left hand are the ones who did not do good works similar to the rich man in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man saw Lazarus laying by the gate of his palace, and did not act with kindness towards him. Therefore, the standard for the separation between those on the right from those on the left will be doing righteous works. The one who imitates Christ in doing good will receive blessings in his spiritual life and will have a portion with those on the right hand in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As the Spirit of the Lord works in our hearts, that love to do good, we follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ in doing good so that we have inheritance in His Kingdom.

The Principles of the Program

Our Lord Jesus Christ is our example in doing good.

Doing good basically depends on the heart that love God and others. One must be ready to give from his own needs since doing good depends neither on the abilities nor the talents, but on the heart. The story of the poor widow, who put the two mites, exemplifies the loving heart, and our Lord Jesus Christ praised her.

Doing good must be done cheerfully and joyfully as Saint Paul said, "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Cor. 9:7)

Charitable deeds must be done secretly; the one doing them must not seek to reveal himself or his actions. Instead, one offers his to the Heavenly Fr., Who sees secret things, and will reward him openly (Matt. 6: 4).

Works of charity are the works of humility. The one doing good does not feel that others are benefiting from him. Instead, deep in his heart, he feels that he is the first one to benefit from his good works. As a result, he thanks God, Who offered him the opportunity to do good. He also thanks the needy persons, whom he helped, for they accepted his assistance.

Doing good isn’t limited to one area. There are various and numerous needs. As the doer of goodness increases in his charitable acts, he will find that the horizon to do good is broadened in front of him.

Doing good must be towards all and is not limited to only a certain group. Every soul is invited to do good and we must help every needy person, regardless of his race, religion, beliefs, etc.

The Areas for Doing Good

So long as there are existing needs, whether locally or globally, the areas of the Program of Doing Good are unlimited. The Program responds to the needs of individuals or families, as well as to the projects for the needy. At the beginning of every year, the Program prepares an annual general plan to detail the areas of action for the year. The plan is prepared after studying the requests presented from within the Diocese or from outside.