Year B: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 8: 7, 9, 13-15

One of the hallmarks of the lives of most Christian communities is fund-raising for charity. Some denominations encourage the practice of “tithing” - giving a tenth of their income to the church to be used for the good of the church and the poor.

St Paul realises that, although the church in Corinth has great enthusiasm for the charismatic gifts, they may also need to be reminded that there are practical consequences of Christian discipleship. As they have an abundance of prophets and people who pray in tongues, so somewhere among them should be those with the gifts of mercy - compassion and generosity.

He is practical - aware that the experiment in communal living among the early disciples had not worked. Selling everything and holding it in common can work - for example in monastic communities - but when people are providing for families, it becomes more complicated.

And so, he advises that the people must take the responsibility seriously - and to work out a sustainable balance. To the one who receives - and to the one who gives, he offers the reminder that it need not always be one way. It is possible that someone’s luck may change and they find themselves in a position in which they can give too.

Human dignity needs this awareness of mutual interdependence. Few people like to feel that they are on the receiving end of “charity”. The charity which St Paul describes - and which we can cultivate is a charity of equals. It is a charity which gives and receives as a family does -with a sense of mutual love and concern.

This is harder but not impossible when the charity we give to is at a remove - in developing countries, for example. In those cases, we need to remember that we are giving to real people - brothers and sisters. We may not receive anything directly from them at this stage - but we may be paving the way for them to give something to future generations...  

What does it mean for me?

How can you develop the sense of charity described by St Paul? When have you experienced a giver becoming a receiver - and vice versa?

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