A CHEERFUL GIVER …

2 Corinthians 9:6-10 
6 The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.7 Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.
9 As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever.”10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

John 12:24-26

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26 If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.

MEDITATION

St PAUL Let it be known that the community is oblidged to make an [oblation] to offer articles of food, oil, crops etc— however, it should be an unselfish, unforced act of charity given to the clerics, for the building up of the Church and to provide for the needs of the poor. 

To give from our ‘abundance’ does not nesseserily mean quantity—but suggest that it aught to be a sincere unforced qualitative response that has its offspring from the heart of one who has been bountifully graced by the love, mercy and goodness of God. 

THE GOSPEL READING: To illustrate the journey that a believer must traverse before he or she is in a state to benefit from the bountiful graces of God, our Lord appeal to the natural process of cultivating and or growing a healthy crop when we ‘hate’ our life, meaning we must place the needs of others above our needs!

Unless a seed is buried in fertile soil and dies—meaning that a believer must without question submit to the gospel truth, and rid him or herself of any vestiges of sin and falsehoods that contradict the Word of God. All that we have must be rooted in Christ Jesus alone! In other words, selfisness must be replaced with charity and selfless giving of our; resources, adroitness, time and love to help built up the kingdom of God.

You see, we cannot give what we do not possess, meaning that self-isolation, egotism, greed and selfishness are uncharitable dispositions that appose love of God, neighbour and stranger. We must surely make prudential judgements and avoid differentiating between people, nor unkindly judge the sinner or count the cost to expend our gifts, time and resources to build up the kingdom of God! 

LET US PRAY: Psalms 112:1-2,5-9

1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!2 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered for ever.
7 He is not afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.8 His heart is steady, he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire on his adversaries.9 He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn is exalted in honor.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.