Let's remember to be grateful for Jesus, who is God's surpassing gift to you and me.
Today's verse is from a passage about generosity. In it Saint Paul speaks directly to me about my call to give bountifully to those who share the message of Jesus through preaching and service to others. As motivation, Paul reminds me that I can never outdo the generosity God shows me every day. And more than that, Paul's words encourage me to give without concern of giving more than I can afford. In his letter, he quotes from Proverbs, "whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."*
With this as background, I am reminded of a time in the past when evil interrupted my giving; and how it took many years for me to realize that this was just another way evil attacks the good works of Jesus' Church. Imagine it, I, the same person whose faith is now fairly well documented here, was so angry at the scandalous actions of certain priests that I withheld nearly all financial contributions to the Church! Like many, I felt deeply offended and betrayed by our holy men and I couldn't imagine giving money to aid this religious institution.
I never left the Church and my faith in God never wavered, but when trust is broken it can take time to heal. Perhaps it was time, certainly it was prayer, but finally I came to see that the Church instituted by Jesus is far more than the sinful behavior of fallible men. This Church of ours, it is something eternal. It is a true force of good in our world. And now I see that such a thing is too much for evil to tolerate! So once again, we can recognize the presence of evil as it takes advantage of our human weaknesses in order gain a foothold.
It seems almost silly to me now, to have withdrawn my support at a time when I probably should have doubled it! So I let this be a warning to myself! Evil always comes in disguise. It looks right and good, but it is not. And only through prayer can we begin the process of recognizing it. And then, we course correct if necessary! We take action. We give!
Today, I will give liberally and cheerfully of my time, talent and treasure to my Church.
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, pray for us.
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