Homily – Tuesday of Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II)

Readings:

• 1st Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1–9

• Psalm: Psalm 146:2, 5–6ab, 6c–7, 8–9a

• Gospel: Matthew 5:43–48
  Theme: “The Grace of Giving and the Power of Love”

Introduction

There’s a saying in Sesotho: “Ho fana ke ho rata” – “To give is to love.” But someone once joked, “Giving is easy when the receiver is me!”
Today’s readings invite us to a much deeper kind of giving—not just things, but of ourselves. It is a Gospel challenge to give with grace and to love without limits.

The Word of God – 2 Corinthians 8:1–9

St Paul praises the Macedonian churches for their generosity in the midst of hardship. He says:

“They gave according to their means, and beyond their means, of their own accord.”

They were poor, yet they overflowed with joy and generosity—because grace was at work in them.

Then Paul points us to the ultimate model:

“Though He was rich, Christ became poor for your sake, so that by His poverty you might become rich.”

That’s not about money. It’s about love.
Christ emptied Himself. And now Paul is asking the Corinthians—and us—to do the same.

In our South African context, we know poverty and injustice are part of daily life. But what Paul teaches us is this: true generosity is not about how much we have—it’s about how much we trust God.

The Gospel – Matthew 5:43–48

This is one of the hardest teachings in all of Scripture:

“Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.”

Jesus doesn’t say tolerate your enemies. He says love them.
Not because they are good—but because you are a child of the Father who is good to all, the just and the unjust.

This Gospel cuts deeply.
Think about that person who lied about you, or the colleague who always makes your life harder, or the family member who hurt you.

Jesus says: “Love them. Pray for them.”
Because our love should not be a mirror of others’ behaviour, but a reflection of the Father’s mercy.

A South African Pastoral Lens

We are living in a country still bleeding from inequality, broken trust, and daily violence. It’s tempting to fall into bitterness.
But the Lord is calling us to heal our land through a revolution of love.

• A love that sees the poor as people, not burdens.

• A love that gives even when it’s inconvenient.

• A love that refuses to be poisoned by hatred.

This is what it means to be a pilgrim of hope in the Jubilee Year:

to give generously, to love boldly, and to live differently.

Eucharist: Where Grace and Giving Meet

As we come to the altar, we receive the One who gave everything.

Jesus gave His body—not just for His friends, but also for His enemies.

This is where grace shapes our hearts—to be generous like Christ and to love like the Father.

Daily Life Application

• Choose to give—not just money, but time, attention, or kindness—especially to someone who can’t repay you.

• Pray for someone who has hurt you, even if your heart resists it.

• Reflect: Am I giving out of surplus or sacrifice?

Question for Reflection

“Do I love only those who love me, or am I becoming more like my Father in heaven?”

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You gave everything so I could live.
Teach me to give like You.
Where my heart is hard, soften it with grace.
Where I struggle to love, flood me with Your Spirit.
Let my life today be a reflection of Your generosity and mercy.
Amen.