You Are To Give

You Are To Give

July 12, 2012

Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son.  The more I called them, the farther they went from me.  Hosea 11:1-2a

Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.  Matthew 10:8b

Piety

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous; 
teach me to serve you as you deserve, 
to give and not to count the cost, 
to fight and not to heed the wounds, 
to toil and not to seek for rest, 
to labor and not to seek reward, 
except that of knowing that I do your will.  Amen. (St. Ignatius Loyola)

Study

What is your profile of generosity? 

In the first reading from Hosea, we hear the Lord rise above the petty jealousy and retaliation of humanity.  If we were to behave to each other as we behave toward the Lord, then we might expect to be treated very differently.  Rather than reject us as we have rejected him, the Lord teaches us in his example, to embody loving generosity.

As the apostles are commissioned, this same lesson in tolerance and charity toward all is reinforced.  They (and we) are encouraged to have malice toward none, no matter how they treat us just as the Lord was kind-hearted to His people in the first reading.

Action

Easier said than done.  Does your profile in generosity embody the values in today’s readings?  Does anger seep into your day when you are not treated with respect by that car on the highway who cuts you off or the competitor who wins the business of your client away from you? 

How can you train yourself to shake the dust of rejection off your feet?  We learn that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  It is not to come in some far off day but it is as near as the keyboard and your next door neighbor. 

Practice kindness today – not to someone who is kind to you but to someone who is on your nerves.