Frenchie Upsets His Dad - Or - Would You Rather Be Very Poor Or Very Rich? Series

A very wealthy man came to his vicar and said, “Father, I’m having a problem with this tithing thing. You see I made £500,000 dollars last year. If I gave 10% then I’d have to give….”

No - before I finish that anecdote - lets do a poll- would you rather be very rich or very poor

- hands up for very rich ?

-hands up for very poor?

[now take some answers from people about why they chose the option they chose. If no one chose very poor, take some answers about why…]

Now let me tell you the story about Frenchie (that’s not normally how we translate his name, but I think its a better translation). Frenchie’s real name was Giovanni -but back in the day, a long time ago he lived in Italy. His dad was in the import export business bringing luxury goods in from France, so he gave his son the nickname Frenchie to celebrate how selling these French goods had made their family so comfortable - well maybe “comfortable” is an understatement. Frenchie and his dad were VERY well off- just what you guys who put up your hands for “very rich” wanted to be.

Now like many trust fund kids, Frenchie was a bit of a party animal. But every now and again Frenchie would go to church. And one day he hears them reading the Gospel we just read today.

(Mark 10:17-23) As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ 20He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’

When Frenchie heard this, it hit him in here [pointing to chest]. He knew there were lots of folks in the town who were not as well off as he was. In fact there were a fair number of homeless and unemployed folks in the town who were really struggling- so Frenchie began giving them - clothes from his dad’s wardrobe (well who needs that many clothes?); food; “well these jewels lying around no one ever wears them, perhaps I could sell them and give that money away”.

Frenchie’s dad kept telling him to stop. But Frenchie kept giving more away. The more his dad told him to stop, the more he gave away.

Eventually Frenchie’s dad thinks “Enough is enough”. He hauls Frenchie out in front on the local priest in the town square and says to him: “How dare you treat me like this! The bible says “honour your father and mother”. I have fed you. I clothed you. I paid for those very clothes on your back. If you don’t stop throwing these things away - I am going to disinherit you! Cut you off!”

To which Frenchie replies: “Yes Father, the bible does say “Honour your father and mother”. But it also says “One thing you lack. Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ Yes Father - you paid for those clothes on my back…”

…and there and then, Frenchie {miming it} pulls his fancy gear off and throws them at his father’s feet - until he standing there in the town square, everyone looking, butt naked. Luckily the priest, ever prepared, has an old garment made of the cheapest sackcloth {miming it} that he covers Frenchie with.

And that was how Frenchie - or in Italian Francisco - or as we would usually say - St Francis of Assisi gave away every thing he had to embrace a life of Gospel poverty and come follow Jesus.

Now - how would you feel if you were St Francis’s dad?

“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘One thing you lack…’” - Is that really what Jesus meant? Is that really what Jesus wants us to do?

A very wealthy man came to his vicar and said, “Father, I’m having a problem with this tithing thing. You see I made £500,000 dollars last year. If I gave 10% then I’d have to give…. £50,000! I can’t do that!”