WE have to learn to give everything,
especially to God
and, because of him, to everybody else. Let’s be convinced that this
is what is expected and proper of us. Christ himself said it very
clearly.
“Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with
your whole soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind,
and your neighbour as yourself.” (Lk 10,27)
These divine words are actually put as an order, a
command, that indicates what really is the very mind and will of God
for us. They are not meant only as a desire, an ideal to keep in mind
only but not so much in practice.
Obviously, Christ always respects our freedom and does not
impose things on us even if he commands us something. This we also
have to be clear. His commands never take away nor undermine our
freedom. Rather they foster our freedom.
We have to learn to give our all without counting the
cost. We should not be afraid to do so, because Christ himself assures
us that he who gives more shall also receive even more than what he
has given.
Listen to these words of his: “Everyone who has left
house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
children or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and
shall possess life everlasting.” (Mt 19,28)
We have to learn to give ourselves as a gift to God and to
others the way God himself has given himself as a gift to us—first,
our life, then our talents, etc. He gives himself to us completely
gratuitously, even if we choose not to correspond to his generosity.
Let us train to give ourselves to God and to others more
and more each day. Let’s not be afraid of losing everything, because
the contrary will actually take place. Instead of losing, we gain by
giving ourselves more.
In fact, what we consider as a gain by keeping things
instead of giving will actually be a loss to us, or will become a
toxic and harmful element in our life. This has been proven endless
times in lives of people.
When we give out of love for God and others, out of our
faith and trust in God’s words, we may lose something in the physical
sense, but we gain something spiritual that eventually will express
itself in some material form, given our body-and-soul constitution.
A number of people have told me that when they are more
generous with their money and other resources to help other people and
especially to help in promoting the worship of God, they end up
getting pleasantly surprised because they tend to receive much more
than what they have given away.
Even in terms of energy, what we spend certainly will
diminish our stock of it. But we will notice also a surge of a certain
kind of energy, spiritual if not supernatural, that simply comes out.
We can be sure that it’s the grace of God that goes beyond, and even
seems to defy, if need be, the laws of nature.
God cannot be outdone in generosity. Christ reassured us
of this. “He who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall
do. And greater than these shall he do.” (Jn 14,12)
These words, to me, are always a jaw-dropper. They make me
wonder, as everyone most probably also would, what these things are
that are greater than what Christ did. But we have to believe them,
because it is Christ who said them, and he cannot tell a lie nor
exaggerate things beyond the objective truth.
We really should try to live by faith. At the beginning,
like a baby learning how to walk, we surely would be unsure of
ourselves and awkward in our ways. But if we persist, then we would
see that what we considered difficult or impossible is actually
feasible and doable.
We need to break loose from the grips of our merely human
estimation of things. We have to allow the words of God, our Creator
and ever loving Father, to rule us. Let’s imitate his example, because
we are supposed to be his image and likeness, and with his grace, have
become in Christ children of his.
We have to learn how to give ourselves as a gift,
completely gratuitously given to God and to others. Let’s be convinced
that’s how we grow humanly, and reach the fullness of Christian life.
Let’s believe when Christ says: “Be not afraid!”
and, because of him, to everybody else. Let’s be convinced that this
is what is expected and proper of us. Christ himself said it very
clearly.
“Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with
your whole soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind,
and your neighbour as yourself.” (Lk 10,27)
These divine words are actually put as an order, a
command, that indicates what really is the very mind and will of God
for us. They are not meant only as a desire, an ideal to keep in mind
only but not so much in practice.
Obviously, Christ always respects our freedom and does not
impose things on us even if he commands us something. This we also
have to be clear. His commands never take away nor undermine our
freedom. Rather they foster our freedom.
We have to learn to give our all without counting the
cost. We should not be afraid to do so, because Christ himself assures
us that he who gives more shall also receive even more than what he
has given.
Listen to these words of his: “Everyone who has left
house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
children or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and
shall possess life everlasting.” (Mt 19,28)
We have to learn to give ourselves as a gift to God and to
others the way God himself has given himself as a gift to us—first,
our life, then our talents, etc. He gives himself to us completely
gratuitously, even if we choose not to correspond to his generosity.
Let us train to give ourselves to God and to others more
and more each day. Let’s not be afraid of losing everything, because
the contrary will actually take place. Instead of losing, we gain by
giving ourselves more.
In fact, what we consider as a gain by keeping things
instead of giving will actually be a loss to us, or will become a
toxic and harmful element in our life. This has been proven endless
times in lives of people.
When we give out of love for God and others, out of our
faith and trust in God’s words, we may lose something in the physical
sense, but we gain something spiritual that eventually will express
itself in some material form, given our body-and-soul constitution.
A number of people have told me that when they are more
generous with their money and other resources to help other people and
especially to help in promoting the worship of God, they end up
getting pleasantly surprised because they tend to receive much more
than what they have given away.
Even in terms of energy, what we spend certainly will
diminish our stock of it. But we will notice also a surge of a certain
kind of energy, spiritual if not supernatural, that simply comes out.
We can be sure that it’s the grace of God that goes beyond, and even
seems to defy, if need be, the laws of nature.
God cannot be outdone in generosity. Christ reassured us
of this. “He who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall
do. And greater than these shall he do.” (Jn 14,12)
These words, to me, are always a jaw-dropper. They make me
wonder, as everyone most probably also would, what these things are
that are greater than what Christ did. But we have to believe them,
because it is Christ who said them, and he cannot tell a lie nor
exaggerate things beyond the objective truth.
We really should try to live by faith. At the beginning,
like a baby learning how to walk, we surely would be unsure of
ourselves and awkward in our ways. But if we persist, then we would
see that what we considered difficult or impossible is actually
feasible and doable.
We need to break loose from the grips of our merely human
estimation of things. We have to allow the words of God, our Creator
and ever loving Father, to rule us. Let’s imitate his example, because
we are supposed to be his image and likeness, and with his grace, have
become in Christ children of his.
We have to learn how to give ourselves as a gift,
completely gratuitously given to God and to others. Let’s be convinced
that’s how we grow humanly, and reach the fullness of Christian life.
Let’s believe when Christ says: “Be not afraid!”
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