Happy St. Brigid's Day!

February 1st is the comemmoration of St. Brigid of Ireland, whom I took as my patron saint when I was baptized last April. That makes today my very first name-day! Therefore I've been reflecting on why I chose Brigid, and how this has affected me since I began reading about her life.
St. Brigid is attributed with three short 'maxims' which sum up her attitude towards people and her life of servanthood. I see them every day, written on my icon of St. Brigid which hangs in my room: "To care for the poor, to lighten everyone's burden, to comfort the suffering." In her simplicity and humility, she constantly gave to the poor (even things which didn't belong to her!), knowing that stuff has no intrinsic value and that it's only people that matter.
I've left of blogging for the past couple of months, for various reasons. However, it has now been a full month of the new year as of this St. Brigid's Day, and in honor of my patroness I would like to share an excerpt from St. Basil the Great's sermon To the Rich. It is based off of Christ's words to the wealthy young man who wished to follow Christ but could not due to his attachment to his wealth.

"Although the meaning of our Lord's answer is clear, he does not lie when he speaks, there are few who are persuaded by it. 'How shall we live,' someone will say, 'when we have renounced everything? What quality of life will there be if everybody sells all and forsakes all?' Do not ask me the rationale behind our Lord's commands. The Lawgiver knows well how to bring what is possible into agreement with the Law. Your heart is tested, as it were, upon the fulcrum of the scale, inclining now towards the true life, now towards present enjoyment. It befits those who possess sound judgment to recognize that they have received wealth as a stewardship, and not for their own enjoyment; thus, when they are parted from it, the rejoice as those who relinquish what is not really theirs, instead of becoming downcast like those who are stripped of their own."

I have been learning much about kindness this past month, especially that which one finds in Sts. Basil and Brigid. I think we are very much mistaken when we consider that the poor are to blame for their own poverty, or that sick people are not worth our tax dollars. I'm not convinced that it's my job to make judgments as to who is 'deserving' of my time or money, as if I have the right to judge someone's circumstances. It would seem that Christ has decided for me already that all people are worth it. All I am given to do is to love, and to give, and to be kind.