WEDNESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him. JN 14:23

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We continue to be reminded to give as generously as we have received. Our heavenly Father holds nothing back in giving us all we need to live holy, happy, lives and as children of the Father, we are to imitate Him in our giving. Too often we are held back by our fear of not having enough for ourselves even though all our past experiences are proof that we have lacked for nothing. God has always provided far more than we have needed and yet we are afraid to give with an open hand and an open heart as we are encouraged to do.

St. Paul puts it clearly, thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow the more you reap. The worst type of giving is with a sour face and a tight fist - such giving insults the recipient. The Church does so much good in the world in so many ways that are both visible and hidden. Giving to the Church may be the best way to ensure that our giving will be used where it is most needed. 

Let us not waste a moment worrying that our giving today will result in us having nothing for ourselves tomorrow - God knows how to reward and provide for those who give generously. He ensures that we will not only have enough for ourselves but to spare. 

You identify Yourself so completely with the poor, the naked, the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the imprisoned, and the dying that anything we do for these You consider as being done to You. This is why no good deed will ever be forgotten and will rebound back to us.

PSALM 112:1-4,9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You have rightly said that it is in giving that we receive and in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life. The truly joyful person is not one who has much but one who gladly and generously shares what they have with those in need. These are the ones who are satisfied because they always have enough and are never in want. 

You told the rich young man to sell all he possessed, give the money to the poor, and come follow You. He went away sad but his wealth made him a slave to his possessions. The one who is truly rich is one who puts all his trust in God trusting Him to provide for all his needs.

There is a kind of giving that instantly unlocks the storehouse of God's treasuries of rich graces. When we give with an open hand and a generous heart without any thought for ourselves God ensures that we will lack for nothing either spiritual or temporal and He Himself will honor us in the company of the angels and the saints.  

MATTHEW 6:1-6,16-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

It is vastly entertaining to see how certain people give. They make certain that they have an audience and everyone knows exactly what they have given and how much. They receive great applause which they greedily lap up. They are quite content that the world knows and honors them for their generosity. They feed on the adulation they receive from an oohing and aahing crowd - they have received their reward. 

There is an ostentatious austerity that some embrace which is certain to draw the admiration of those for whose benefit it is put on display. They make a great show of their fasts and their penances. These as well receive their reward from the fulsome praises of their admirers.

But there is another kind of giving that is hidden, secret, that no one knows about, it is done away from the gaze of prying eyes. These are the unseen, unsung heroes who go about their daily work being the light and salt of the world. And while the world may know nothing about them and all they do, You know and their reward will be great in heaven.

Earthly accolades fade from memory but the rewards received from the hand of God are eternal. Today, You urge us that when we give it must be done so unobtrusively that our left hand does not know what our right hand is doing and our Father who sees all, will reward us. And so it must be when we pray and fast - we must never deliberately call attention to ourselves for that is hypocrisy and if there is one thing that You cannot abide it is hypocrisy and hypocrites. 

Lord Jesus, give us childlike hearts and simplicity of spirit and we will always be pleasing to You.