A story for every day...
An uncle from America who pretends to be destitute.
A poor silk weaver had emigrated from Spain to Mexico, where several of his fellow tradesmen had amassed a great fortune in a short time. He too was very successful in his business and became very rich. After a few years, he returned to Spain to see his family with the intention of giving them a generous living. But first he wanted to put them to the test. He appeared in his father’s house wearing poor clothes, so as to give the impression that he was returning from America as a beggar. His father, however, received him with the greatest affection, and showed great pleasure in seeing him again; he even organized a small family party to which he invited the parents. They did not come, for they were ashamed of this poor emigrant, who soon noticed how unpleasant his presence was to them. He then showed his wealth, gave a large part of it to his father and left for America without having given anything to those who had not wanted to know him, and who bit their fingers at having missed out on a great fortune by their clumsiness.
God will do the same to us. If here on earth, where Christ does not show Himself in His glory, we blush to belong to Him and His Church, He will send us away empty-handed on the day of judgment.
