January 5.  Sharing.   Gloria shared.  “I have to agree with the reading for today, but still find it challenging. It seems to me  that in African extended families there is greater willingness to share.  Sometimes one person will pay school fees for another or older siblings will support their younger brothers and sisters. That is an amazing example of generosity,” “But why,” Zola replied, “isn’t that what our culture expects from us? They call it “black tax.” I know it can get overdone, but it doesn’t really worry me. I think it would be sad if we stopped that practice.” “OK, I do admire it, but not everyone does that kind of thing,” Gloria said.  Reflect, share, act, pray.

Scripture.  If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 1 John 3:11-21. Pope Francis:  There is a need to respect the rights of peoples and cultures and to appreciate that the development of a social group presupposes a historical process taking place in a cultural context and demanding the active involvement of local people from within their proper culture.   LS 144