Quietly complete

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of our generosity and the growth we encounter when we act to make our time, treasure, and talent available for others.

Generous support

The reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians links our generosity to God’s indescribable Gift.

* [9:8–10] The behavior to which he exhorts them is grounded in God’s own pattern of behavior. God is capable of overwhelming generosity, as scripture itself attests (2 Cor 9:9), so that they need not fear being short. He will provide in abundance, both supplying their natural needs and increasing their righteousness. Paul challenges them to godlike generosity and reminds them of the fundamental motive for encouragement: God himself cannot be outdone.1 

Psalm 112 details the blessings received by those who remain close to God.

 * [Psalm 112] An acrostic poem detailing the blessings received by those who remain close to God by obedience to the commandments. Among their blessings are children (Ps 112:2), wealth that enables them to be magnanimous (Ps 112:3, 5, 9), and virtue by which they encourage others (Ps 112:4). The just person is an affront to the wicked, whose hopes remain unfulfilled (Ps 112:10). The logic resembles Ps 1; 111.2

Today’s passage from the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel from Matthew is Jesus teaching about Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting.

 * [6:1–18] The sermon continues with a warning against doing good in order to be seen and gives three examples, almsgiving (Mt 6:2–4), prayer (Mt 6:5–15), and fasting (Mt 6:16–18). In each, the conduct of the hypocrites (Mt 6:2) is contrasted with that demanded of the disciples. The sayings about reward found here and elsewhere (Mt 5:12, 46; 10:41–42) show that this is a genuine element of Christian moral exhortation. Possibly to underline the difference between the Christian idea of reward and that of the hypocrites, the evangelist uses two different Greek verbs to express the rewarding of the disciples and that of the hypocrites; in the latter case it is the verb apechō, a commercial term for giving a receipt for what has been paid in full (Mt 6:2, 5, 16).3

Kimberly Grassmeyer focuses on the opportunity that we have to generously share God’s abundance.

* [6:1–18] The sermon continues with a warning against doing good in order to be seen and gives three examples, almsgiving (Mt 6:2–4), prayer (Mt 6:5–15), and fasting (Mt 6:16–18). In each, the conduct of the hypocrites (Mt 6:2) is contrasted with that demanded of the disciples. The sayings about reward found here and elsewhere (Mt 5:12, 46; 10:41–42) show that this is a genuine element of Christian moral exhortation. Possibly to underline the difference between the Christian idea of reward and that of the hypocrites, the evangelist uses two different Greek verbs to express the rewarding of the disciples and that of the hypocrites; in the latter case it is the verb apechō, a commercial term for giving a receipt for what has been paid in full (Mt 6:2, 5, 16).3 

Don Schwager quotes “Pray with the angels,” by John Chrysostom, 547-407 A.D.

"When you pray, it is as if you were entering into a palace - not a palace on earth, but far more awesome, a palace in heaven. When you enter there, you do so with complete attentiveness and fitting respect. For in the houses of kings all turmoil is set aside, and silence reigns. Yet here you are being joined by choirs of angels. You are in communion with archangels and singing with the seraphim, who sing with great awe their spiritual hymns and sacred songs to God, the Lord of all. So when you are praying, mingle with these voices, patterning yourself according to their mystical order. It is not to human beings that you are praying but to God, who is present everywhere, who hears even before you speak and who knows already the secrets of the heart. If you pray to this One, you shall receive a great reward. 'For your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.' He did not merely say he would give it to you but reward you, as if he himself had made a pledge to you and so honored you with a great honor. Because God himself is hidden, your prayer should be hidden." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 19.3)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 comments that Paul told them, in other words, God is blessing you abundantly so that you can bless other people.

 Maybe he will help you see more clearly all the ways he has provided for you, inspiring you to give some of the money you now spend on entertainment to help the poor. Perhaps your kids are grown, and you now have more free time—time you can donate to your parish. Or maybe you have been blessed with a rich prayer life, and you sense God asking you to devote some of your prayer time to interceding for other people’s needs.6

Friar Jude Winkler shares some background to the rabbinic attention to prayer, almsgiving, and fasting after the destruction of the Temple in 70. Generosity becomes a sacrament of God’s bounty. Friar Jude answers “yes” to the question of private or visible prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, urges generosity in struggling with one’s own shadow self because facing interior conflicts and moral failures, undergoing rejection and abandonment, all daily humiliations, experiencing any kind of abuse or form of limitation, can be gateways into deeper consciousness and the flowering of the soul.

To put it another way, what I let God see and accept in me also becomes what I can see and accept in myself. And, even more, it becomes that whereby I see everything else. This is “radical grace.” This is why it is crucial to allow God and at least one other person to see us in our imperfection and even in our nakedness, as we are—rather than as we ideally wish to be. It is also why we must give others this same experience of being looked upon tenderly in their imperfection; otherwise people on either side will never know divine love. I pray there is at least one person before whom you can be imperfect. I have several in my life, and they are such a relief and joy to be around.7

Generosity makes mercy and compassion present and invites deeper awareness of God among us.

References

1	(n.d.). 2 Corinthians, chapter 9 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 19, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/9
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 112 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 19, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/112
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 6 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 19, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved June 19, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 19, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(2019, June 19). Saint Romuald, Abbot (Optional Memorial) - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved June 19, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/06/19/
7	(2019, June 19). Love the Contradictions — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 19, 2019, from https://cac.org/love-the-contradictions-2019-06-19/