Some Facts About Almsgiving

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Wednesday of 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Year 1, June 16th, 2021
Texts: 2 Cor. 9:6-11; Ps. 112: 1b-4.9; Mtt. 6:1-6.16-18
Yesterday, St. Paul told the church at Corinth to excel in almsgiving as they excelled in faith, knowledge, utterance, in all earnestness and in love for God's ministers. Today's Readings present to us some facts about almsgiving. We are presented with the factors that make almsgiving a gracious work.   In the gospel reading, Jesus tells us about almsgiving, prayer and fasting. He warns us against showoff and desire for praise while giving alms, praying or fasting. Our giving of alms, praying or fasting should not arise from the desire to win praise before men. Our giving of alms, praying or fasting should be to glorify God, the source of all good. Almsgiving, prayer or fasting becomes gracious work when it glorifies God. Gracious work makes us pleasing to God and wins us reward.
Jesus goes further to tell us what to do to kill the desire for human praise. He asks us to give alms in secret, pray in secret and prevent our fasting from being noticed. This reminds us that not only bad thing is done in secret, good thing could also be done in secret to preserve its integrity. We should not also forget Jesus' word: "In the same way your light must shine in people's sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven" (Mtt. 5:16). Good work is also done in the open to glorify God and to encourage the practice of good in others.
St. Paul also tells us some facts about almsgiving in today's first reading. He tells us that the quality and quantity of what we give matter alot. He says, "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." We are to give cheerfully, for God loves a cheerful giver. To facilitate the cheerfulness, each of us is to give as they decide in their minds. Giving as we decide in our minds helps us to be cheerful while we give. This means we should avoid giving to the point of causing sorrow to ourselves.
St. Paul also reminds us that we are poor and have nothing but what God has given us. He puts it thus: "And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work." God gives to us in excess that we may have some left for almsgiving. God has done it in such a way that we owe one another some good; we are helpers to one another. This tells us that from what God has given us we should always set some aside for almsgiving, to help others. Perhaps, this reflection is what I owe you today, so take it in love. However,  we must not forget this word of St. Paul: "You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."

God our Father, we thank You for all Your gifts to us, help us to use them appropriately for Your glory and service of humanity. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke