💖 HOMILY - JUNE 21 💖

First Reading - 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 

Gospel - Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

It's said: "A smile is infectious and contagious." It means, a genuine smile can cause others to smile as well. One of our core Christian values is generosity which can bring about smiles on the faces of the suffering and the needy. The readings of today invite us to become cheerful givers in the sight of God.

In the first reading, Paul ellaborates the theme of generosity. He instructs the Christians to become generous with their resources. At the same time, he reminds them that generosity should be an act which should flow from a cheerful heart and not from a reluctant heart. A reluctant heart would attend to a minimum need but a cheerful heart will attend to the maximum need possible of the needy. Paul further adds that as our generosity reaches out to others, so will the kind of generosity we receive. Furthermore, Paul promises that a cheerful generosity of the people will never see any lack because God will fill them with their needs and even more.

The gospel passage of today lays special emphasis on three penitential acts or religious piety; prayer, fasting and alms giving. Jesus makes it clear that the practices of prayer, fasting, and alms giving should not become an occasion to parade our righteousness before people rather they should be done as a disposition to seek God's mercy. In other words, they should be performed not to seek people's attention but to draw God's mercy. The noble practices of prayer, fasting and alms giving should be done to please God rather than to seek appreciation of people. This attitude , as Jesus highlights, will win reward from God.

Dear friends, the life of generosity is a visible sign of charity and very often it can be noticed by others. However, the gospel passage reminds us that our act of piety or any good action (generosity) should not be for getting the attention of others or making ourselves known to others but it should be an act that is to be done to please the Lord. It means not to blow the trumphet of generosity but make it secret except only to be seen by God. This act of generosity will be certainly rewarded.

We should also know that it's certainly a need of the time to be generous. People tend to live an individualistic life connected through social media yet disconnected from person to person. There are many who suffer from loneliness, though they have many friends on social media but no friend in person to listen and understand them. There are many elderly people who have many things but no one to sit with them and listen to them. They are also needy people who need our generous accompaniment and time.

Paul reminds us today to be generous with our resources. There are many who suffer from hoarding mentality. They want to hoard as much as they can but are reluctant to share with others. Let's overcome this hoarding mentality but learn to share and bring joy in the lives of the people, especially needy and suffering. Paul also reminds us that our generous kindness will always be repaid by the Lord in its own time.

Let's become cheerful givers because God loves it.