Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Many years ago when I met my wife I realized she had something that I didn’t. The je ne sais quoi (I do not know what) about her intrigued me. After a long while and many discussions, I realized the quality which attracted me to her was her joyful spirit. My wife would explain over and over again that this joy was rooted in her faith. As a cynic, I attributed this joy to the fact that much of her formation in high school and college was Protestant. As time has gone on, I have realized that her joy was and is rooted in her regularly reading the scriptures. The fact is that, the deeper I dig, the more I see (and become) it as well. All of today’s readings exemplify God’s generous nature. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he challenges the people to live generously. This bigheartedness is a reflection of the bountifulness of the Lord. “Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor 9:8). Our generosity is ultimately an act of love not of duty.

Psalm 112 is quoted today in Paul’s letter and is also today’s responsorial psalm. The psalm encourages the people of Israel and now us to be believer’s who “greatly delight” in God’s commands. Our light must shine in the darkness; our wealth must be shared with the poor.

The gospel for today contrasts the two types of giving. Charity often has the side-effect of positive satisfaction about our actions. Jesus shows us that the best framework for prayer, almsgiving and fasting. We do these actions mostly in secret. Thus our kindness glorifies God, not ourselves. When we are charitable in order to reap worldly rewards, we have become like the Pharisees.

The purpose of our prayer, fasting and almsgiving is to remind us of how much we have been blessed by God. Our generosity reflects that love that we have received. It is from this context that I now understand that our lives are to cheerfully reflect the abundance of grace which has been bestowed upon us.

As you go throughout your day, reflect upon the gifts with which you were endowed. Lord, help us this day to better appreciate the blessings you have bestowed upon us, so that a cheerful attitude might inform our faces to smile. May our smile be outward signs of our internal love for You. Amen!

-Michael Montgomery