2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
In today’s gospel passage, Jesus teaches us deeply how to do good deeds. Apart from prayer and fasting, they are ways through which our love for God and neighbor becomes concrete. It is not about seeking human appraisal or being self-aware of one’s duty as a Christian but essentially it is about the purity of intention. The intention to do good deeds should be done before the sight of God. When we purify our intentions, we are offering ourselves without holding back to God. We are surrendering and trusting His power to rescue us even in hard times.
The leaders of the Jerusalem Church, James, Cephas, and John asked Paul to assist the poor, which Paul was willing to do and Paul asked the Christians to contribute and make an offering to provide relief to Jerusalem Christians. Paul also urged the Christian communities to give and that if they give generously then they will receive God’s generous blessings in return. Hence, God loves a cheerful and a generous giver
Each of us is called to be generous, merciful, and compassionate. It helps to be positive when giving to others. We are called to be generous even on our grumpy days.
Fr Joseph Osho