The Gospel for today (Monday of the 12th Week) gives us an admonition that God will use attitudes we use for others as a standard in our own judgment. Consider well, right now, if being unkind, unmerciful, and unforgiving is a good strategy for your live, given that you will stand in judgment and need mercy, and forgiveness. There are many biblical texts that speak of being generous to the poor, for to do brings bountiful blessings. Or, put negatively, if we are stingy, we will come up short in our own blessings.
Consider the following verses:
Here is a promise from the Lord:
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap (Lk 6:38).
The text goes on to state a clear principle:
For the measure you measure to others, will be measured back to you (Lk 6:38).
The rule of returning proportion:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Cor 9:6).
The Lord the admonishes us with this:
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty (Prov 11:24).
And now a word from our sponsor (a snack manufacturer in the Philippines), illustrating well this text: Who sows sparingly will reap sparingly. You may find that the ad is “clever by half.”