Readings
I - 1 Kings 21: 1-16
II - Mt. 5: 38-42
St. Anthony of Padua (Memorial)
BE GENEROUS IN GIVING AND FORGIVING
One of the Law of Moses, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is a perfect teaching of tit for tat. This seemed to right because it was mainly to prevent huge losses including life to the opponent. Jesus replaces this tit for tat law with the law of love. Jesus invites the people to be generous in forgiveness, an act that springs froth from a heart of love.
In the light of this Gospel passage, examine the generosity of our giving and forgiving. The Church today remembers St. Anthony of Padua, an Augustinian monk, the perfect model of generosity. He was born in Lisbon, Portugal. He hailed from a noble family. Still he gave up everything including his wealth and riches for the sake of Christ and his Gospel. He was just thirty five years old when he died. He was canonised in less than a year. His tongue is not corrupt and still exhibited in St. Anthony’s Church, Padua. His teach was so perfect and his life exemplified Christian living as a monk. St. Anthony is also considered as patron for finding of the lost things. Let us pray to St. Anthony, the finder of lost things, to help us discover the qualities of Jesus in us so that we too may embrace an exemplary life in Christ. May our mind and heart resonate with the prayer, “St. Anthony, Pray for us”.
