Meditation for October 15, 2013. Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church Give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you. (Luke 11:41) You know how it feels when you have to move. You just hate the idea, because you know you’re going to have to take lots of stuff with you. When you’ve packed it all up, you just can’t believe how much there is. Perhaps you begin thinking, “If I could just be rid of all this stuff, I would feel so much better. Maybe I should give it all away.” We could say that in a spiritual sense, the Pharisees also had way too much stuff. But their stuff was on the inside, and it wasn’t so great. In fact, Jesus called it “plunder and evil” (Luke 11:39). What their burden amounted to was too much self-concern. Their selfishness had blinded them to the fact that there wasn’t enough room in their hearts for God and the gifts he wanted to give them. To some extent, we all carry this burden of self- concern within us. And the best way to lighten our load is to practice the kind of generosity that these Pharisees avoided. Helping someone not just with their material needs but with their emotional or spiritual needs as well is one sure way to help make everything “clean” for us (Luke 11:41). That’s because whenever we give, we are participating in God’s very nature. He is infinitely generous, because he has infinite resources. Of course, you can’t give something away if you don’t have it yourself. That’s why it’s so important that we spend time every day asking the Lord to fill us up with his grace, his blessings, his power, and his peace. The point is not to hold onto these things for ourselves. Rather, it’s to make sure we are fully equipped for all the ways we will be invited to give. Jesus has already given you so much, and he wants to give you even more—day after day after day. This is not the everyday “stuff” that we accumulate over the years. It’s heavenly, spiritual treasure that’s meant to be shared, not jealously guarded. So imitate his generosity. Remember: the more you give, the more you receive! “Lord, thank you for all you have given me. Don’t let me hold on to it! Teach me to share your generosity with people in need so that they will be blessed, and your name be glorified!” Amen.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 07:44:29 +0000
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