HOMILY OF WEDNESDAY OF THE 11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, a model of piety and virtue, embraced a life of deep prayer and devotion to God. He renounced his noble upbringing and pursued a religious vocation, serving the sick and dying with compassion and humility. A patron saint of youth, he challenges us to live selflessly and to seek holiness in our own lives.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
THEME: ACTING FOR GOD
Our giving should go with a well-informed decision from our heart, not simply because we are coercing or forced to do. As teachers, we should teach people the mystery and the principle of giving, and not to preach the act of sacrifice as our background to collect from our gullible or clueless listeners or adherents.
God loves a cheerful giver. When we make people see giving in terms of business contract, we may kill their faith. Though he is a covenant keeping God, God is not a business partner with man. Our act of generosity to others must be done as thanksgiving to him. That was exactly what Jesus did, offering himself as a thanksgiving offering to his Father for our sake.
In the first reading, Paul said, “Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Jesus said in the gospel, “But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.”
Do we give solely for personal gain? Do we assist others merely to enhance our reputation? Do we make offerings out of obligation alone? May we embrace generosity and may our acts of kindness be rooted in our love for God. Amen.
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