✝️ Homily – Wednesday, Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II)

📖 Readings: 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 | Psalm 112 | Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18
Theme: “What You Sow in Secret, God Grows in Glory”

1. Introduction 

A young boy once watched his granny put a R100 note in the Sunday collection.
After Mass he asked, “Gogo, why did you give so much?”
She replied, “I’m planting a seed.”
He looked confused and said, “Can I come back next week and harvest it?”

Sometimes we think of giving and praying as transactions. But today’s readings remind us that true faith is quiet, sincere, and deeply rooted in love—even when no one is watching.

2. The Word of God

📜 First Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6–11

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
St Paul is not talking about tithing only—he is talking about the spirit of generosity.
In a country like ours, where many struggle just to survive, generosity might feel like a luxury. But Paul insists: generosity is not about wealth—it’s about the heart.

“God loves a cheerful giver,” he says—because cheerful giving reflects a trust in God's provision, even in uncertain times.

God is able to supply every blessing in abundance, so that we might have enough not only for ourselves but also to be a blessing to others.

✝️ Gospel: Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18

Jesus warns:

“Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen.”

We live in a world of hashtags and filters, where everything is posted for likes and shares. But Jesus says:

“When you give... when you pray... when you fast—do it in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

He’s not discouraging acts of faith.
He’s reminding us: the audience that matters most is not public—it’s divine.

In the Jubilee Year of Hope, we are being invited not to show off religion, but to live it authentically—especially when no one is watching.

3. The Eucharist

Here at the altar, there is no applause, no spotlight, no grand stage.
Just Jesus—offering Himself in love and humility.
We don’t come to impress. We come to be nourished.
Here, we receive the secret strength that the world doesn’t understand—grace, poured out in silence and brokenness.

4. Question for Reflection

Do I do good to be seen, or because I believe it is right?
When last did I give quietly, or pray silently, trusting only God to see me?

5. Daily Practical Application

Today, do something for someone anonymously:

• Pay for someone’s lunch without telling them.

• Pray quietly for someone you dislike.

• Forgive someone silently and let it go.

Let your secret sowing bear holy fruit.

6. For Those Who Encounter Difficulties

If you feel unseen, unheard, or taken for granted—this Gospel is for you.
God sees in secret.
God sees the tired mother who prays alone at night.
God sees the worker who gives faithfully despite their own struggles.
God sees you.

And what is sown in faith—even in tears—will be harvested in joy.

7. What Can I Do During the Jubilee Year of Hope?

This year, make quiet acts of love your spiritual mission:

• Start a habit of anonymous generosity.

• Pray for peace each morning without posting it.

• Fast from gossip or negativity, not just food.

Let us build a nation of hope from the inside out, where the unseen grace of God transforms homes, parishes, and communities.

8. Inspire. Empower. Motivate. Pilgrims of Hope.

We don’t need cameras to change the world.
We need hearts full of love.
Let’s be people who plant kindness in secret—because God will water it with grace.

Even when hope feels hidden or buried, it is growing.
You, child of God, are part of something holy.

“Blessed is the one who gives, even when it’s hard. Blessed is the one who prays, even when no one sees. Blessed is the one who hopes, even when the world says ‘why bother?’”

9. Inspirational Quote

“What you sow in the quiet soil of faith, God will raise in the garden of glory.”

10. Conclusion

So today, we are reminded:
You don’t need to be seen by others to be loved by God.
You don’t need to be praised to be powerful in grace.
You are a pilgrim of hope—walking with the Lord who sees your heart.

11. Short Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,
Help me to live this day quietly, faithfully, and joyfully.
May my generosity be sincere, my prayer honest, and my fasting humble.
I offer this day in secret, for Your glory alone.
Make me a pilgrim of hope in this land You love.
Amen.