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Tag: Generosity

  • God is Generous

    God is Generous

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    September 20, 2020 – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092020.cfm)

    Homily

    To seek recognition, affirmation and praise are all part of growing up. We see this among our children as they always try to get the attention of their parents or among the adults around them. Children have their own way of getting attention. However, when parents become indifferent to this need of a child, this could leave a hallow and painful part in the life of a child. Thus, when the child becomes an adult, he or she  would most probably continue seeking recognition and affirmation from people around in order to satisfy that need which the person did not receive from home.

    We could be this person who continually seek to be recognized, affirmed and praised. There is nothing wrong with this need. However, this could also lead us to become bitter, unsatisfied and envious of others despite the talents we have developed or despite the success we have achieved. We would tend to accumulate more and demand for more praises and affirmations to the point of becoming indifferent towards the needs of others.

    The tendency to accumulate more praises and demand for greater reward because of the good qualities we have can only poison our hearts and relationships. This tendency makes our heart unwelcoming to others who need more than us.

    This attitude was what the Pharisees showed at the time of Jesus. They believed that their superiority made them deserving of all God’s goodness and graces. They cannot accept the teaching of Jesus that others could also experience the goodness of God. They despised Jesus for offering God’s forgiveness and gift of healing to the poor, the sick, and sinners. They despised Him because they believed that God’s grace was reserved for them alone.

    This is what we find in the Gospel. It teaches us how God treats all of us, showing concern and compassion.

    This parable speaks of the generosity of the landowner towards the workers. The first ones who were hired on that day felt jealous with those who were hired at the last hour. The first ones worked the whole day and the last ones worked only for an hour. But then, they all received the same wage according to the agreed wage for that whole day work.

    The first ones were disappointed because they thought that those who only worked for an hour did not deserve for that wage. Since they worked hard, they should be above them and those who worked less should not be treated like them. But then, for the landowner, if he will not give the usual wage for those who were hired last then the food that they will bring for their families will not be enough. They will still starve on that day. It means that the parable actually is not about labor issues but of God’s generosity to each of us.

    Indeed, this is what we always believed that when we are more gifted than the others, more intelligent, more educated and so the more we feel entitled, and seeking to have more; and those who are lesser than us, should have less. When we feel that we are more religious, going to church and saying the rosary daily, we might think that we are far better than those who don’t go to church and do not pray. When we feel that our educational achievements, our status in the community, or our material possessions make us higher in dignity than others, then, we might believe that we can just ignore those whom we think as lesser than us, and become indifferent with those who do not belong to our class.

    Unconsciously, we also become like the Pharisees who did not have the sympathy for those who were struggling in life. The poor, the sick and the weak sinners at the time of Jesus can be today’s young people who have been addicted to drugs, to alcohol, to gambling or any addiction not because they are bad but because of family problems, broken relationships and low self- esteem. They can also be our friends or family members whom we continually bully because they are weaklings, untalented and less intelligent than us. They can be people working for us or those who are around us and doing menial jobs just because they did not have much opportunities like you to uplift their life.

    But remember, God relates to us not merely because of the effort that we did but because of “who we are” to Him. God is good to us not because we are deserving but because God is so good and generous. We are all loved by him no matter what, no matter how big our failures were, no matter how serious our sins are.

    Thus, for those who have worked hard, for those who have been so faithful to God, this gospel is not meant to discourage you for working hard, for doing your daily devotion but this is meant for us to know that God is generous also towards those who are less fortunate. And we have the role to lift up those who are less fortunate in this life. For those of us who felt that we are lesser beings, felt unworthy because of our mistakes, failures and sins – this Gospel is truly good news for us because God tells us today that we too are blessed because we are loved. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Looking At Ourselves Closer for the Father Sees

    Looking At Ourselves Closer for the Father Sees

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    June 17, 2020 – Wednesday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/061720.cfm)

    Jesus warns us about our narcissistic tendencies. We might not be aware of our tendency to draw other people’s attention to us. Indeed, there is a need for us to purify our every motivation and action so that we will live free and become true Christians.

    Jesus takes this seriously as he reminded his disciples in today’s Gospel. To follow Christ is not to seek the attention of others, or to seek praise and approval of those people around. A disciple of the Lord does not need to put up a billboard and announce to the people what he/she has done and accomplished.

    The Lord is more concerned with our heart so that we don’t have to pretend to be someone else we are not. This happened with those who were called hypocrites in the synagogues that Jesus was talking about. These people pretended to be the best person in their community. They proclaimed and told people how good they were. They did all these to seek recognition from the people. Indeed, they craved for people’s attention and approval because they too were hungry for power and control.

    People who constantly seek the attention of others and their recognition ultimately manipulate others so that they will be in control and will become powerful. Yet, it is also a revelation how these people are so insecure of what they have and of what they don’t have.

    As people who seek God, we are rather called to be more confident with Him, and with our relationship with God. Our generous actions, good deeds, our prayer and religious practices must flow from that relationship. Deepening one’s relationship with God should be our primary motivation and not in boasting oneself.

    This relationship with God should also lead us to recognize God’s generosity and faithfulness in us despite our failures and sins. This will hopefully inspire us to respond with gratitude to God. To become a grateful person certainly makes us a generous person both in our words and actions. This will make us true to ourselves, closer to people around us and to God.

    Remember, God sees us. God is very aware of what we do. God is not blind. The Gospel today reminds us of this that God sees us in secret and repays us with His faithfulness. Though God does not do policing but God watches us only with delight. Therefore, as God sees us, we may truly be a delight in God’s eyes through our generous actions and words.

    With this, Jesus invites us today to look closely at our behaviors and attitudes, practices and devotions if these are helping us to be closer and to be more like Jesus or if these are moving us away from God and from others.

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    To remind ourselves about this, let us ask ourselves with these questions, “Who is being honored and served by my good deeds, generous actions and religious devotions? Is it myself or is it God? Do they lead me closer to God and others or do they rather make me more indifferent towards God and others?

    In our hope to grow daily in our consciousness of God’s presence in our life in these difficult times, we may always seek the Lord and find strength and confidence in Him. May our actions and words become expressions of our gratitude to God who has never ever left us for God finds delight in us. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • When a small act of generosity makes a difference

    When a small act of generosity makes a difference

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    April 24, 2020 – Friday of the Second Week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042420.cfm)

    Every day we receive updates of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the daily rising number of confirmed cases is frightening. Moreover, the number of recoveries is also very slow. As a response, our Government leaders both at the national and local levels, are planning to extend lockdown and Community Quarantine. 

    As much as this would be necessary to control the virus and prevent more infections, ensure recoveries and prevent deaths, such measure can also lead to other problems. One that would most likely be the biggest problem is the security of food and prevention hunger particularly of those who are most vulnerable now in our community. Construction and contractual workers, vendors, garbage collectors and other daily wage earners would surely continue to suffer.

    What this Gospel tells us is the wonder when small act of generosity makes a difference to many.

    Thus, there is a need for us that we too shall become aware of the hunger that our brothers and sisters around us are suffering during this time. We cannot be blind and indifferent to this need. Our Gospel would actually help us to be more conscious of such hunger and of other forms of hunger around us.

    St. John told us that Jesus was aware of the needs of the people. He was not just conscious of the spiritual hunger of the people but even their physical hunger. This consciousness of Jesus impelled him to ask Phillip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” Jesus was not simply seeing their hunger, he too felt their hunger. This urged Jesus to do something. 

    However, Jesus needed the participation of other people around him. Phillip could not think of anything since they did not have enough money to buy food for all. 

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    It was Andrew who brought to Jesus a boy who had five barley loaves and two fish. The appearance of the boy in the story was very symbolic. He was nameless and faceless and was just a boy and the small food that he brought to Jesus was something.

    The nameless boy and his small share was the perfect offering that Jesus needed so that the people will be fed. Certainly, it was through that boy who had five loaves and two fish that Jesus did something which made everyone to wonder.

    What this Gospel tells us is the wonder when small act of generosity makes a difference to many. Thus, the little food that the boy had, was transformed into many. That small share given became abundant.

    This is where we find God’s invitation for us today. We are invited by Jesus to offer sincerely the little that we have. We might be thinking that the world’s problem on hunger is too big for us to respond and our share will only be insignificant. But let us remember, the five loaves and two fish of that nameless boy were actually insignificant compared to the five thousand men. However, that boy did not ran away to hide what he had, rather, he offered generously what he had to Jesus.

    The boy and his action were symbols of our own vulnerability and weakness and at the same time the power behind a generous and kind action. To give away the little that we have, makes us insecure, yet, it is actually through the little that we possess that the Lord can work wonderfully. When we give something and then we feel vulnerable because that was all we have, no matter how small, is actually the fruit of our generosity. Let us not wait for us to be materially rich before we give, because even the poorest of us can give something to others. 

    This has been happening already these days. There have been individuals, families and groups, religious and private agencies who extended their generosity to others. Those many efforts done for the sake of others were perfect offering to the Lord to make wonders.

    Thus, the Lord invites us today to be generous with what we have, no matter how small or inadequate it may be in our eyes and for others. Just like in the Gospel, the Lord needs our participation, our small contribution so that he too can work wonders through us and through our small acts of generosity and kindness.

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    Jesus needs us to be generous with what we have today so that the Lord will be able to continue to feed the various hungers around us. These many hungers involve hunger for food, for shelter, for a home and family, for friendship, for acceptance, for love and intimacy, for healing, or for a deeper relationship with God.

    Take time today to be that nameless boy who generously offered the little things he had, to make a generous action towards those people around you, no matter how small would that be as long as it is given in generosity and kindness, the Lord will surely make it wonderful. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

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  • The Joy and Wonder of Easter

    The Joy and Wonder of Easter

    April 21, 2020 –  Tuesday 2nd week of Easter

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042120.cfm)

    The joy and wonder of Easter caught the heart of the disciples of Jesus to truly believe in Him and in God’s power that defeats death and darkness and thus liberates us. This kind of spirit was truly felt by the early Christians. In fact, the joy and wonder of Easter was transformed into concrete resolutions and actions in living as a Christian community.

    This is what we have heard today in the reading from Acts of the Apostles. We have heard how the community of believers felt God’s assurance and security that went beyond material wealth. It was because they were of one heart and mind, becoming more sensitive to the needs of each one. Consequently, the community began to share generously their material wealth with those who have none and were needy. Each member of the church had enough because each one contributed and shared.

    This is the spirit of Easter that tells us how the Christians believed in Christ’s presence among them. However, this kind of attitude of sharing and letting go of possession did not also last long because selfishness and insecurities came into the picture. People began to advance their personal interest over the others and have taken advantage at the expense of the needy and the poor.

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    However, as a Christian community today, we are still called to live the spirit of Easter by generously sharing what we have to those who are in need. Letting go of all our material wealth at this present age would be impossible; yet, to joyfully give and share our resources, talents and capacities is what the Risen Jesus is calling us today.

    This call to share our resources is more urgent in this time of crisis today. Our brothers and sisters who are daily wage earners such as the construction workers, trisikad and tricycle drivers, garbage collectors, street vendors and homeless/street-dwellers etc. are the most vulnerable during this lockdown and Enhanced Community Quarantine. What the Catholic Church is doing now is truly inspiring in the effort to reach out to people. Here in the Philippines, Caritas Manila for example (see their Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCaritasManila/ ) has given a billion pesos to the needy. Dioceses and Religious Congregations too have creatively made efforts to reach out to these people and to the many front liners.

    In our own Parish, the Our Mother of Perpetual Help has also reached and given food packs to 635 families as of today in different communities. This became possible also through the generous contributions of individuals and families. Hence, even simple and small amount of help can make difference to the lives of others.

    Hopefully, we may let our hearts also be filled with the joy and wonder of Easter. We may be overwhelmed then, with gratitude to God who has been so good to us, so that it may lead us to become joyful givers to our community and especially to our needy brothers and sister. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR