MONDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2024
MONDAY OF THE THIRTY FOURTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
ST CATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA, V. M. (Opt Mem)
Revelation 14:1-3.4-5
Luke 21:1-4
GENEROUS GIVING
As has been said, generosity is the quality of being kind. It is the act of giving. It is giving of one’s property, time and talents. But there are ways of being generous that outsmart others. That means that, there are different types of generosity. What is the most rewarding generosity that Jesus points to in today’s gospel that endears us to God?
Jesus watches those putting money into the treasury of the synagogue and observes this poor widow who put in two coins, the equivalent of a penny. Invariably, these two coins are worth nothing in real sense but their value are judges by Jesus in the acts of the givers hearts. Because it is the only remaining money for this woman. She had no other to live on. She gave ALL she had.
Giving two coins, the equivalent of a penny, is not the issue. Jesus does not judge us according to what we give. We are judged rather according to the MEASURE we have. For so many gave much more than the woman but her exemplary giving is predicated on the fact that she gave all that she had.
Generous giving, is an act that seeks to give all. It is giving to inconvenience ones self. It is giving that touched on one’s ontological nature. Generous giving must shake the foundation of your being. It must elicit faith in the giver and dependance on God. It must also deny you something serious, something that is properly yours, something that you need desperatedly, and something that takes away from you.
Generous giving is sacrificial, because it denies you of vital things that you would have gained. Jesus gave his life, and suffered for it. He willingly gave it up. A generous giver, willingly and consciously gives, after knowing and acknowledging the value of the gift that takes away from the giver.
The book of the Revelation gives other instances of the redeemed who gave much for their salvation. The hundred and forty four sing the praises of the Lamb, these are those who have won life and judged by God to have merited heaven. They gave their lives, they was no iniquity in them, and no lies can be found on their mouths. So they gave so much to gain the blessings of live.
Giving of ourselves brings much gains. It is an easy way to get to heaven too. Our lives are gifts to God. Until we learn to give, we cannot belong to God.
God himself is always giving us. He gave us his Son. JESUS Christ. He gave us the Holy Spirit. He gave us the world, light, nature and all we possess. God is always giving. Even our faith in God is a gift of God. So all we have are gifts from our generous God.
To be his children, we must be generous givers as our God is. Saint Theresa of Calcutta was a giver, in fact a generous giver. She gave us the reason to give. She says that it is when we give that we actually empty ourselves in other to receive more from our God. So our lives are conditioned to give, and to give generously.
Saint Francis of Assissi, was a generous giver who gave even the last cloak of his life and walked naked in the winter. He also went about begging from people in order to give to the needy. He never held back from those who asked and are in need.
The act of giving is a necessary part of our Christian life that made Saint Paul to declare that generosity covers multitude of sins. So giving for the right reasons and giving with the right attitude, and quality is necessary for a life of glory with God. Let us pray and learn this generous act.
God our Father, you gave us your only begotten Son to die for us so that we may be redeemed. You are ever ready to answer our prayers and continue to give as much as we desired. Make us generous givers in imitation of your nature. May we never hold back when you prompt us to give. Give us the right attitude of self emptying, generosity and kindness. And may the rewards of our generosity be visited to us through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
