Gospel Reflections for August 28 2016
No charge!
Do you ever believe people if they say “No charge” after doing you a favor? Many do not. This Gospel presents one of the hardest things to believe in, that anyone would really give something away for free. Who does that?
Do you believe that ever happens? Do you look for the “fine print” or the “hidden catch?” when offered something “for free?” After all, isn’t it true that “There is no such thing as a free lunch!” The Gospel ends with the story of someone offering just that!
Our Lord encourages freely giving of ourselves precisely to people, like the poor, who cannot possibly repay our generosity to them.
This weekend, in my parish, we are welcoming a Missionary priest who will speak about the Church’s efforts in some of the poorest areas of the world. But why is the Church in those areas? What is the benefit for the Church to be in areas of extreme poverty? After all, restaurants never build there, stores don’t open there, and companies never build factories there. Restaurants, stores, and companies expect some fair and just return on their investment either for the owners or shareholders. Why invest where there is no possibility of an economic return?
I understand that reasoning. However, the Catholic Church has a different motive. We bring Christ to the poorest areas of the world precisely because we believe that the presence of Christ in the hearts of people anywhere, even in the poorest areas, will make their lives happier. We go there not to get something for us …but to offer a happier life to them!
That anyone would ever offer something for the good of another at no cost seems hard to believe, yet we do so all the time for those we love. Parents do all kinds of wonderful things for their kids all day long …and without ever submitting a bill! They are simply glad to make the lives of their children happier.
On a day that we recognize the Church’s missionary efforts, we simply affirm that those poor people in distant lands are also members of the human family, and so are members of our Catholic family. We are happy to support any effort to make Our Lord present to them, since we know that amazing divine presence is the ultimate source of true and lasting happiness …and it comes with no charge!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Your words are so beautiful that the amazing Divine presence is the ultimate source of true and lasting happiness!!It is such a precious gift of love and how lovely to share it with our world!!!The beauty of a life giving gift of love is to share it freely and lovingly!! The gift of life is so incredibly amazing and the gift of our precious faith, our God, our Jesus, our Blessed Mother should be radiated freely in love to everyone for they give meaning and purpose to our life!!!To live in Jesus’ love is a life well lived and we must grow in that love and be there for others as you beautifully do!! Dick and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our faith and we soooooooooooooo loveeeeeeeeeeee that you are part of our lives!!!
Loveeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Thank you!
Powerful reflection Fr Dave, thank you for sharing. God’s WORDS is eternal and has the power to change us.
I will always try with grace of God to do good with “No Charge” all for the Glory of God!
Love and prayers to all who share the Gospel!
Roy and Adele Vargas
No charge!
Fr. Dave,
As usual, this reflection is a home run. It covers the second parable which applies to hosts. But you subtly covered the first parable by bringing in what business would do without being judgmental on the motive of restaurants, stores, and companies which strive for the best places to locate their enterprises, i.e., the place of honor at the table.
It is so easy to overlook the areas of the poor, the homeless, etc. your reflection reminds us of the great works of our church and call each of us to step up and help in our own way now.
Many blessings to your parish and you,
Gary
Thanks so much for your careful reading of my reflections. You picked up the points well.
Fr. Dave,
I have noticed in my own life that Jesus keeps giving when I take advantage of prayer, another “freebie.” The only investment this requires is time and attention. What a deal!
Yes, just a little time and attention produces large rewards of grace.
Thanks Father Dave for your lucid reflection on “Something for nothing” as is performed by the missionaries. I guess that goes for Parish Priests also. You give a lot with little or nothing in return.
I note in the Gospel that the idea of acting with a humble attitude is recommended by Jesus. I remember my mother telling me “Don’t toot your own horn.” I think that was good advice. She was a Baptist from Alabama and had a lot of quaint sayings.
Your reflection is very thought provoking. I am also reminded of where I live. In the last month, we have had a couple of people move in without anything. We had fun in the whole complex finding this for these 2 apartments. Needed a refrigerator, couches, utensils for the kitchen, etc. Another moved in who had way too much stuff (she was a hoarder). She was so excited to give things away and so were some of the other neighbors. We all had such a good time sharing what we had to give.
It was a joy to see how happy the new tenants were and not only that but the joy on the faces of the ones giving what they had to share. NOW THAT IS COMMUNITY.
What a great story, and right in line with the Gospel.
By the way, as I told you before I do Torah reflections at a Messianic group for the past 3 years. There are those from different Churches there. Every year there is a deeper understanding of God’s word to us. It has also brought alive more and more the understanding of our Catholic faith. It is all there. Having a Rabi explain some meanings I have to secretly laugh because it makes so much sense.
But now I am doing the reflections with you and I really want you to know how much it means to me as the reflections from the Gospel readings completes the Hebrew Bible (to some Old Testament). Thanks a million for doing this, it means a great deal to me.
I am glad these reflections are helping!