Cheerful Giving | August 10, 2015 Gospel Reflection

August 10, 2015

I’m not a gifted gardener. I greatly admire those that can grow things out of the ground and then keep them alive, because I cannot. It’s not that I don’t try, it’s just that I don’t really understand how to do it. When and how much do I water? When and how often do I fertilize? Where do I place them, in the sun or in the shade? It’s all very involved and I am just not good at it. That’s why today’s readings resonate with me so deeply because they use gardening as a metaphor for evangelization, and while I am a terrible actual gardener, I am a fairly good spiritual gardener, and these readings serve as a reminder that spiritual gardening is the better portion.

From Paul’s letter to the Corinthians we have one of my favorite verses, “God loves a cheerful giver.” It immediately makes me think, well I’m cheerful, so, YAY, God loves me! However, what word did I just leave out? Giver. Am I a cheerful giver?  Do I sow sparingly or bountifully? If I’m being honest, I do sow bountifully which according to this reading means that I also reap bountifully and for that I am truly grateful, but I need to check my cheerfulness, because, again, if I’m being honest, I may not be as cheerful as I think in my giving. I do my fair share of complaining and pointing out people’s shortcomings. I get annoyed very easily and can be pretty vocal about that. And sometimes I’m just not feeling it.

Now with all that being said, I know that God still uses me as an instrument and the ratio of my uncheerfulness in ministry to my cheerfulness is probably like 3:10, however, this reading reminds me to let the bountiful fruits that I enjoy every single day enliven the cheer in me and let it radiate into everything I say and do.

The gospel gives us yet another gardening metaphor, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single grain.” Woo hoo! I kill plants all the time! Not quite the point. The seed must surrender itself and allow the soil, water, and the sun to transform its former self into the best version of itself. What is the best version of self? That which brings life by giving its life away. Now who  does that sound like exactly? Seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self control have been planted in each of our souls. We need to surrender them to the soil, water them with grace, and point them toward the Son so they can become transformed into life giving food which must be shared with others, and if I can add, must be shared cheerfully with others.

Somehow, I understand all the things that I get wrong in actual gardening when it is applied to spiritual matters. How? The Holy Spirit tells me when and how much to water, when and how much to fertilize, and when souls need sun or shade. What a great blessing!! There will be periods of time spent waiting, feelings of loss, pain from tilling the soil, and possible drought, but the fruits of our “dying” will be bountiful in God’s time and the harvest of a spiritual garden is eternal life.  The good news is that Jesus reminds us “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.” So let us cheerfully sow seeds by giving ourselves away and in that giving we will unite our souls to Christ and God our Father will honor us by using the fruits of the harvest for His glory. Yay!!

Reading 1 2 COR 9:6-10

Brothers and sisters:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:

He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.

The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Responsorial Psalm PS 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9

R. (5) Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.
Lavishly he gives to the poor, 
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

Alleluia JN 8:12BC

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of life, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel JN 12:24-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”