What shall I return to the Lord for his goodness to me?

Whenever we give a gift, deep down, we always expect something in return, don’t we?  It is difficult to be a completely detached giver.  Perhaps we don’t expect a gift in return or some kind of favor, but at least a thank you note, or a verbal thank you, or at least some acknowledgement that the gift was received.

In everyday experience, the person who receives a gift is automatically beholden to the person who gives a gift.  Something is owed back – big or small.

When I was starting seminary, I received a nice card from an elderly German lady from Columbus, Georgia.  I had never met her before – her Pastor gave her my name and address.  The card had some beautiful, encouraging words, and also in the envelope was a check for $25.  I immediately wrote her a thank you note and put it in the mail.  The following week, I received another letter from her.  She thanked me for my thank you note, and included in the envelope, you can probably guess, a check for $25.  I didn’t want to abuse this lady’s generosity, so I waited two weeks or so before sending a thank you note.

One week later, I received a letter from her, and you guessed it, inside the envelope was a check for $25.  I didn’t send another thank you note, but she continued to send me money on and off for the following seven years.  I sent her an occasional thank you note by regular mail or email.  Anytime I was in Columbus, I would visit her, and we developed a nice friendship.  She is now well into her 90s.

Giving and receiving can be a bit tricky, because as I mentioned already, when we give, deep down, we expect something in return; and the person who receives is suddenly indebted to the giver.  My example is a funny experience that shows this reality: it is natural to have a response to any gift received.

As human beings we give and receive in this way, but today’s readings give us a glimpse into how it is that God gives, and what He expects from us who receive so much from Him freely.  He gives so much, but He doesn’t need anything in return, He’s God!  So what can we give back to him?

While I was in Augusta, a parishioner anonymously paid three months of rent for a family that had been in a terrible car accident.  Neither parent was able to work, and so, not able to collect pay.  The two children had also been hurt and traumatized by the accident.  After I delivered the check to the office of the apartment complex, the mother gave me a little prayer card with a picture of baby Jesus to give to the man who helped them.  She wrote the names of the whole family on the back.

A gift of $2,000 received back a little prayer card?  This transaction, I believe, imitates the manner in which God gives: he gives abundantly and we can never really outdo him.  We can’t even scratch the surface.

In the first reading, David did not give Saul what was expected; he gave him a free pass and did not harm him nor kill him even though he could have.  This is how God gives, though we deserve otherwise, he shows us mercy and grants us absolution.

The words of Jesus in the Gospel challenge us to imitate God: to give without expecting anything in return.  To give even to those who cannot or will not return goodness to us: our enemies, those who hate us or strike us, those who do not pay us back.

The words Jesus here in the Gospel of Luke are pretty radical, and difficult to put into action.  It appears that Jesus wants others to walk all over us.  Yet these words are an invitation to give of ourselves without reserve, just as Jesus did when he was nailed to the cross.  Jesus died for those who acknowledge him and for those who reject him… likewise Jesus invites us to live our lives.

When faced with God’s generosity, we give back in the measure that we imitate him.

“stop judging and you will not be judged.  Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven.  For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

In the measure that we love as God does, we respond to His freely given love.

In Psalm 116 the Psalmist asks: “What shall I return to the Lord for his goodness to me?” to which he answers, “I shall raise the chalice of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.”

At every Eucharist we raise the chalice of Salvation where Jesus Christ manifests Himself as heavenly food that we consume – and we are transformed by Him.  We respond through our worship where Jesus gives us the grace we need to imitate Him.

Picture is from the public domain.