2nd Week of Lent : Monday 14th March 2022

In a world of competition and rat race, it is every person for himself or herself to survive. It is simply a way of life in which people compete with each other for power, prestige and possession, even to the point of putting another person down. It is a cruel and hateful world.

The Gospel passage today seems to indicate that just because Jesus says, “the amount you measure out will be the amount you will be given back” that it is something like tit for tat – to get what we want, we have to work for it. However, Jesus emphasises this aspect more positively, e.g., be compassionate as God is compassionate; grant pardon and you will be pardoned; give abundantly and there will be gifts for you – a full measure and running over. When we are as generous as God, others will be generous with us. Generosity demands a certain amount of self-giving on our part. In a rat race world, we are called to be generous and not only be satisfied receivers.

Furthermore, we are called to be generous to the point of being merciful and forgiving as God is, for Daniel says, “to the Lord our God mercy and pardon belong.” Daniel continues to highlight that even when we have betrayed God, have not listened to God, and have not followed God‘s laws, God still forgives us. We can practise forgiveness for others and be kind to those who have stabbed us in the back in the rat race.

Lord, teach me to be generous and forgiving.