Monday Inspirations 11/24/25
Posted November 24th, 2025
Inspiration to Start the Work Week
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
As Thanksgiving approaches, I was reflecting on this powerful passage below from St. Paul's 2nd Letter to the Corintihians. In his commentary on this passage William Barclay emphasizes something that also speaks to the weakness of the Rich Man in Sunday's gospel (Luke 12:16-21) who tore down his barns to build bigger ones. Take a few minutes to read the scripture below and Barclay's message. After doing so, consider how you can become more content with what you already have.
May we take some time this week to give thanks to God for all the blessings he offers us every day of our lives. May we make it our aim to be "rich toward God" and continually build our relationship with him. This is our true treasure.
Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!
Love in Christ,
Fr. Paul
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (Revised Standard Version)
6 The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness[a] endures for ever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources[b] and increase the harvest of your righteousness.[c] 11 You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God; 12 for the rendering of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints but also overflows in many thanksgivings to God. 13 Under the test of this service, you[d] will glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others; 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Paul insists that God can give us the substance to give and the spirit in which to give it. In verse 8, he speaks of the all-sufficiency which God gives. The word he uses is autarkeia. This was a favorite Stoic word. It does not describe the sufficiency of the person who possesses all kinds of things in abundance. It means independence. It describes the state of someone who has directed life not to amassing possessions but to eliminating needs. It describes someone who has learned to be content with very little. It is obvious that people like that will be able to give far more to others because they want so little for themselves. It is often true that we want so much for ourselves that there is nothing left to give others.