FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE.

Homily for July 9^th, 2015: Matthew 10:7-15.

          “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give,” Jesus tells the twelve men he has called to be his apostles. Another translation says: “Freely you have received, freely give.” Can you think of something that is all your own, and not a gift from God? What about your achievements: the money you have earned, the awards you may have received? Would any of that be possible without the talents and abilities God has given you? When you stop to think about it, everything we have is God’s gift. There is one exception: our sins. They are all our own. Everything else comes ultimately from God – not because we are good enough to deserve God’s gifts – for none of us is. God bestows his gifts on us not as rewards for being good, but simply because He is so good that he wants to share his goodness and love with us. 

          What is the appropriate response? We can describe it in a single word: thanksgiving. Here’s a question we all need to ask ourselves from time to time: Am I a thankful person? If you are a person of prayer – and you would hardly be here if you weren’t – then you’re probably pretty good at asking God for things. Are you equally good at saying “Thank you,” when your requests are granted? If a long life has taught me anything it is this: grateful people are happy people – no exceptions!

I was born before universal air travel. Americans visiting Europe crossed the Atlantic by ship. In my childhood I remember hearing about the Pastor of a wealthy parish who regretted that so many of his parishioners were lost at sea every summer. When they asked him to explain, he said: “In June each year lots of my parishioners request Masses for a safe passage to Europe. Come Labor Day I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of Masses of thanksgiving requested for a safe return.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

What is the best way to thank God for all his gifts? Jesus’ words in today’s gospel reading tell us: “Freely you have received, freely give.” In other words: we can’t keep God’s gifts, unless we give them away.” And it gets even better. When we do give them away, they come back to us. If you doubt that, just try it!