Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: August 1, 2010
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/August/18thC.htm - Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:
Ecc 1:2; 2:21-23
Ps 90:(1) 3-6, 12-14, 17
Col 3:1-5, 9-11
Luke 12:13-21
http://www.usccb.org/nab/080110.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_08_01.mp3
When we understand God's generosity, we are truly wealthy. No matter how little money we have in the bank, our lives are rich in peace – the kind of peace that gets us through trials and battles with wisdom and endurance.
God's generosity also leads to material blessings. Every material blessing we have comes from God. He delivers it to us through the talents, abilities, and personality style that he has given to us. Whatever we earn through our own efforts comes originally from God's efforts. God is the source of everything that’s good in our lives.
However, there’s always a purpose that’s bigger than us. Everything from God is meant to bless others, too. We are channels of God's generosity.
Whatever we have that we refuse to share becomes the cause of sin. We succumb to selfishness, which is akin to greed. The problem with greed is that it hurts others by denying them what God wants to share with them.
What makes us vulnerable to this sin? Self-reliance. It comes from thinking that we can rely solely on ourselves and on our own resources instead of partnering with God in generosity. Even when we recognize that God has been generous with us, self-reliance says we should keep it all to ourselves or else we will suffer bad consequences.
When we protect our lives by storing up our goods, others suffer. In next Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus addresses both greed and self-reliance, because they are completely contrary to the personality of God.
Generosity grows when we understand that God is the provider of everything good and that he will continue to provide for us even when we give away what he gives to us – especially when we give away what he gives to us. Think about what you have in abundance (be it money, or joy, or wisdom, or lessons learned from experience, or ___ ). Now look around. How might you be the answer to others' prayers?
Everything that belongs to God is ours when we desire to share it with others. This is the primary economic principle of the kingdom of God. The Body of Christ thrives only when there's a continual exchange of goods. We call this the communion of saints.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
What is most difficult for you to share or give away? Why do you cling to it? What are you afraid will happen if you let go of it?
Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Why do we feel safer relying on ourselves than on God? Give an example of God's generosity in your own life. How would (or did) sharing this with others make a difference?
STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
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http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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