Homily: August 10, 2026, Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Cheerful giver)

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 “God Loves a Cheerful Giver”

St. Paul tells us today: “Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

When I was just a small boy, I would enjoy being out of the house and on our farm to play with my friends. However, very often and almost always right in the middle of an exciting game with them, I would suddenly hear my mother calling out to me.

She would shout for me from the house, “Nivin, come here! Cut some firewood”, “Dehusk two coconuts”, “Go feed the chickens” or “Go take care of the cows”.

There would always be something she wanted me to do, there would always be a chore that needed to be done.

And it had to always happen at the best part of the game. I didn’t have much choice, I would do what she asked but I always with a grumpy face, unwillingly, unhappily and with lots of complaining in my heart.

I was never a cheerful giver.

Thankfully I have grown and changed over the years. Yet unfortunately, the change is not complete!

Sometimes when our staff are not in the parish office, and I helped answer the door for people who rang the bell asking for various kinds of help for their needs, most of the times for bus tokes. The first person may get my best smile, straight from my heart. If a second one came, probably he would get a sincere smile from me too. But after a few more ringing the bell with the same requests, the smile remained but the heart would be sending complaints to God!

And this is where today’s reading challenged me.

God is not interested only in what I give but much more in how I give it.

What I give may satisfy the person’s need, but how I give will satisfy my God’s wish. 

Mother Teresa once said, “Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”

We cannot solve every problem, but we can always share God’s love with everyone.

We can give someone a real smile. We can give a kind word. We can give a few moments of patient listening. We can treat someone with dignity. And yes, even when it is the sixth or seventh person asking for the same thing, we can try to remember that this person is not simply another interruption. This person is a child of God.

Beyond giving more things, let us give more love. Because sometimes the greatest gift is not in our hands, but that which is in our hearts extended through our hands.

Lord, give me a generous heart. When I serve, let me serve with joy. When I give, let me give with love. And even when I cannot give what they asked for, let me give my cheerfulness.

Amen.


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