Gospel for August 31 2025 – Luke 14:1, 7-14
Gospel Reflections for August 31 2025
No charge!
Do you believe people if they say “No charge” after doing you a favor? Many do not.
This Gospel presents one of the hardest things to ever accept, that anyone would really give something away for free. Who does that?
Do you look for the fine print or the hidden catch when offered something for free? After all, isn’t it true 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.
Recently, we welcomed a missionary priest who spoke about the Church’s efforts in some of the poorest areas of the world. But why is the Church in those poor areas? What is the benefit for the Church to be in areas of extreme poverty?
After all, restaurants never open there, stores don’t open there, and companies never start factories there. Restaurants, stores, and companies expect some return on their investment for the owners and shareholders. Why invest where there is no possibility of economic reward?
I understand that economic 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 and more meaningful. We go there not to get something …but only to offer a happier spiritual and secure life to them.
That anyone would ever offer something for the good of another at no cost seems hard to believe, yet families do so all the time for those they 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 and more meaningful, especially now as schools are starting again.
In our Church’s missionary efforts, we affirm that those poor people in distant lands are also members of our Catholic family.
We are happy to support any effort to make Our Lord present to them, since we know that His amazing divine presence is the ultimate source of true and lasting happiness …and it comes with no charge!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Dear Father Dave,
The missionaries of the Church who. go into the poorest areas of civilization, do so with great hardships to themselves as well. They may well be living saints.
Christ was the first and greatest of these missionaries of God, who gifted freely of his life, crucifixion, and resurrection for the salvation of souls.
What an incredible, heavenly gift of love.
Thank you for your enlightening reflection today….. It is so appreciated.
God bless you now and always.
Kathleen
Yes, Christ was the greatest of all missionaries. Well said!
Father Dave – I am a long way from being a missionary, but your first line struck me. I volunteer at a nursing home and polish fingernails. A resident asked what I charge, and she was bothered by the fact that I said I don’t charge. She offered a tip, which I refused. Finally, she said Adamantly “nobody does anything for free! “ I chuckled, and said that maybe I’m just a cheap date.
Yes, you discovered how hard it is for people to believe it!
Fr Fave, what a wonderful reminder that giving back doesn’t have to be costly or grandiose. There are simple ways that we can give back—our time to listen to another’s concerns; our laughter, our smile to a stranger who looks lonely, spending time with a shut in, helping an older neighbor with yard work—the list is endless.
Well said!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee your loving words!!!The precious miracle in life is that when you give to others in loving words or deed, your heart grows in loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! You don’t give for that reason but that is the precious gift our loving God gives back to the giver!!! Loveeeeeeee it and loveeeeeee our precious giving Faith as Jesus is the precious giver in life!!! A life filled with His loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Thank you!
Thank you Fr. Dave for your beautiful reflection on Gifts with no Charge!
and how Jesus keeps on giving no matter our response.
Yes, indeed!