From: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10
Blessings To Be Expected
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Commentary:
6-15. The collection appeal ends with some remarks about the benefits that ac-
crue from it. First, St Paul says that the generous almsgiving of the Corinthians
will stand to them in this life and in the next (vv. 6-10), and then he refers to its
effects on the faithful in Jerusalem: they will praise God and feel closer to the
Christians of Corinth (vv. 11-15).
A person who is generous in almsgiving draws down on himself the blessings
of God. St Augustine says: “Your Lord says this to you, [...] Give to me and re-
ceive. In due course I will give back what is due to you. What will I give back?
You gave little to me, you will receive a great deal; you gave me earthly things,
I will give back heavenly things; you gave me temporal things you will receive
eternal things; you gave me what was mine, you will receive me, myself [...].’
See whom you lent to. He nourishes (others) and (yet he himself) suffers hun-
ger for your sake; he gives and is needy. When he gives, you wish to receive;
when he is needy, you are unwilling to give. Christ is needy when a poor man
is needy. He who is disposed to give eternal life to all his own has deigned to
receive temporal things in (the person of) anyone who is needy’ (”Sermon 33”,
8).
6. This image of sowing and reaping is often used in Sacred Scripture to indicate
the connection between one’s actions and reward or punishment in the next life
(cf. Prov 22:8; Mt 25:24-26; Gal 6:7f). What the Apostle says here reminds us of
our Lord’s promise: “Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap” (Lk 6:38). However much
we give God in this life, he will reward us with much more in the next.
7. “God loves a cheerful giver”: a teaching often found in Scripture (cf. Deut 15:10;
Ps 100:2; Sir 35:11; Rom 12:8). An alms or a service done reluctantly can never
please anyone, particularly God our Lord: “If you give bread and it makes you sad
to do so,” St Augustine comments, “you lose both the bread and the reward” (St
Augustine, “Enarrationes in Psalmos”, 42, 8); whereas the Lord is delighted when
a person gives something or gives himself lovingly and spontaneously, not as if
he were doing a great favor (cf. “Friends of God”, 140).
8-10. St Paul emphasizes the abundant divine blessings—both temporal and spiri-
tual—which generous almsgiving brings. In the Old Testament we read in the Book
of Tobias: “Give alms from your possessions to all who live uprightly, and do not
let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from
any poor man, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. If you have
many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid
to give according to the little you have. So you will be laying up a good treasure
for yourself against the day of necessity. For charity delivers from death and keeps
you from entering the darkness; and for all who practice it charity is an excellent
offering in the presence of Most High” (4:7-11). To almsgiving can be applied our
Lord’s promises about the hundred-fold in this life and then everlasting life—promi-
ses made to all those who give up something in his name (cf. Mt 19:28f).
“Righteousness” is equivalent to holiness. In the Bible the person is described
as righteous or “just” who strives to do God’s will and serve him to the best of his
ability (cf., e.g., notes on Mt 1:19; 5:6).
10. “For,” comments St John Chrysostom, “if even to those who sow the earth
and to those who are concerned about the needs of the body, God gives in great
abundance, much more will he give to those who till the soil of heaven and apply
themselves to the salvation of their souls, for he wills that we should spare no
sacrifice in that regard [...].
“This holy apostle gives these two principles: in temporal things one should limit
oneself to what is necessary; but in spiritual things one should seek as much as
possible. Therefore he asks that we should not simply give alms, but give alms
generously. That is why he calls alms ‘seed’. Just as corn cast into the ground
produces a crop, so generous alms produces righteousness and abundant har-
vest” (”Hom. on 2 Cor”, 20).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: John 12:24-26
Jesus Foretells His Glorification (Continuation)
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Commentary:
24-25. There is an apparent paradox here between Christ’s humiliation and his
glorification. Thus, “it was appropriate that the loftiness of his glorification should
be preceded by the lowliness of his passion”(St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”,
51, 8). This is the same ideas as we find in St. Paul, when he says that Christ
humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross, and
that therefore God the Father exalted him above all created things (cf. Philippians
2:8-9). This is a lesson and an encouragement to the Christian, who should see
every type of suffering and contradiction as a sharing in Christ’s cross, which re-
deems us and exalts us. To be supernaturally effective, a person has to die to
himself, forgetting his comfort and shedding his selfishness. “If the grain of wheat
does not die, it remains unfruitful. Don’t you want to be a grain of wheat, to die
through mortification, and to yield a rich harvest? May Jesus bless your wheat
field!” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 199).
26. Our Lord has spoken about his sacrifice being a condition of his entering his
glory. And what holds good for the Master applies also to his disciples (cf. Mat-
thew 10:24; Luke 6:40). Jesus wants each of us to be of service to him. It is a
mystery of God’s plan that he—who is all, who has all and who needs nothing
and nobody—should choose to need our help to ensure that his teaching and the
salvation wrought by him reaches all men.
“To follow Christ: that is the secret. We must accompany him so closely that we
come to live with him, like the first Twelve did; so closely, that we become identi-
fied with him. Soon we will be able to say, provided we have not put obstacles in
the way of grace, that we have put on, have clothed ourselves with our Lord Jesus
Christ (cf. Romans 13:14). [...]
“I have distinguished as it were four stages in our effort to identify ourselves with
Christ—seeking him, finding him, getting to know him, loving him. It may seem
clear to you that you are only at the first stage. Seek him then, hungrily; seek
him within yourselves with all your strength. If you act with determination, I am
ready to guarantee that you have already found him, and have begun to get to
know him and to love him, and to hold your conversation in heaven (cf. Phil 3:20)”
(St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 299-300).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.