A certain kind of student (like me) would offer a fervent prayer to God when they sat down to take an exam that they hadn’t prepared well for. “Just get me throught this, Lord, and I’ll go to Church every day for a week.” People like us hadn’t heard the admonition from the Book of Sirach: offer no bribes, these God does not accept! There is a temptation to make deals with God — if you do for me God, I’ll do for you. The Bible teaches us that is not how God works. God is the giver and all that we have is gift. We can’t bribe God into doing what we want because everything we have is God’s already. Our pose should always be that of the thankful receiver. And, as Sirach goes on to say, since we have been given so much by God we should pass on the blessings we have received to others. In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD, be not sparing of freewill gifts. As St. Ignatius put it, the Lord will not be outdone in generosity.
MARCH42025
By Church Staff
