Friday March 1, 2024
Theme: “Let’s be generous”
Text: 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
1. We make known to you, brothers, the grace of God which has been manifested in the churches of Macedonia. 2. In the midst of many tribulations which tested them, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty produced with abundance rich liberalities on their part. 3. They have, I testify, given voluntarily according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4. asking us with great entreaties the grace to take part in the assistance intended for the saints. 5. And not only did they contribute as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us, by the will of God.
Let's remember:
What you can do when you are generous is extraordinary. It is only the children of God who can do this without constraint and without murmuring. We cannot explain this reconciliation of tribulations with overflowing joy when we live in deep poverty. This is naturally incoherent if not incompatible. And yet this is what the grace of God has manifested in the Churches of Macedonia. Anyone can reach this level of understanding if we allow ourselves to be carried away by the grace of God. The immense lesson to be learned is that poverty and tribulations are not factors in the extinction of generosity. We must maintain joy and be generous even when we live in poverty coupled with tribulations. It was the people of Macedonia who begged Paul to grant them the favor of participating in this collection of donations. They did not look at their poverty; they did not highlight their state of mind dejected by tribulations, they did not mention their disastrous social situation. They did not exonerate themselves from these offerings. As these offerings were voluntary and not obligatory, they could have kept quiet so that no one would hold it against them. But they happily contributed. From now on, in the midst of many tribulations that could test us, our joy should remain overflowing and even though deep poverty overwhelms us, let us remain generous. Let us voluntarily contribute according to our means, and even beyond our means. May our heart be an offering to God and to humans. Excellent month of March. Amen
Alain Louz.-
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