Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Or Optional Memorial of Saint Martin de Porres, Religious
Luke 14:12-14
God loves a joyful giver!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a teaching that cuts straight to the heart: “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.” His words invite us to look deeply at the motives behind our generosity.

Very often, we give with mixed intentions. Some give out of duty, as if fulfilling a tax or paying a debt to God. Others give with the hope of gaining something in return—perhaps recognition, respect, or even a sense of spiritual “credit.” Still others give to feel superior, to stand above those in need, and in doing so wound the very dignity of the person they claim to help. Such giving is not love, but pride disguised as charity.

Jesus shows us a different way: true giving flows from love, not calculation. It does not seek reward, applause, or repayment. It mirrors the very heart of God, who gives freely and abundantly, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” Real generosity is the outpouring of a heart that cannot help but love.

The Rabbis once said: the highest form of giving is when neither the giver nor the receiver knows the other. This protects dignity and keeps love pure. Likewise, when we give as Jesus asks, quietly and freely, we share in God’s own way of loving.

Today, let us ask ourselves: why do I give? Do I give to be noticed, or do I give because Christ’s love compels me? May we learn to give as God gives—without counting the cost—so that our reward may be found not in this world, but in His Kingdom.Amen.

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Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025