May the Lord give you peace and health in the Holy Spirit.
It is 16th June 2021.
We reflect from 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 and the Gospel from Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18.
Giving is not a pleasure or pressure but cheerfulness and bliss.
What makes us our religion so significant than others is generous giving? Not because it teaches umpteen times to give but presents us with the model to give by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.
Prayer, Almsgiving, fasting are essential not for our personal holiness only but for the welfare of the others. If our prayer, almsgiving and fasting do not benefit someone who is in need we need to revisit our understanding and uproot any sediments of selfishness in these sacred acts that allow us to come closer to God.
It is does not matter what you give but how you give ignites happiness in the other. With sadness, grief, pain, and compulsion we do not need to give or even as a formality or to pacify our guilt and status in life.
In giving we bring out the character and essential characteristic of God. Every bit of giving is noticed by the army of angels, and by God himself. Not only in abundance but in poverty we need to go out to give. Everyone wants to give something to the other. We are born with the quality of giving right from the start without any regret. Something went wrong somewhere as we grew up, we forgot what we came with it and begin to adapt a culture of receiving and hoarding.
“God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.” (2 Cor.9:8).
The first reading encourages us that God notices a cheerful giver. Jesus goes further to instil the power of giving in secret because it brings out the sacred spot of our existence. Seeking attention, recognition and glory, hypocrisy, self-promotion through giving do not bring any blessing to us.
May the continue bless our hearts, homes and homelands by our selfless giving. God bless you.