Daily Thought For September 10, 2018
Generosity
A characteristic of generosity is knowing how to forget quickly those little irritations that can crop up in daily life. It is knowing how to smile and make life more agreeable for those around us, even though they may be suffering setbacks; to give others the benefit of the doubt; to do the least pleasant tasks first in our work or in family life; to accept people as they are, without attaching too much importance to their defects; to be ready with a pat on the back for a job well done; to give a positive tone to our conversation and, if the occasion arises, to a possible correction that we ought to make; to avoid negative criticism, which is often useless and unfair; to open up wider horizons, both human and supernatural, for our friends. All these betoken generosity of spirit, but above all, if we are to be really generous in loving our neighbor, we must do our best to make it easier for those around us to come closer to Christ. That is the best thing we can do.
Every day we have a treasure to distribute. If we don't give it, we lose it. If we share it, Our Lord multiplies it. If we are attentive, if we contemplate his life, He will find for us opportunities of serving voluntarily where, perhaps, few people would wish to do so. Like Jesus who, at the Last Supper, washed the feet of his disciples, 11 we will not be deterred by the lowliest chores, which are often the most necessary and will involve us in the most thankless of tasks. We will learn that the occasions of serving are turned to reality through sacrifice, as the fruit of an interior attitude of abnegation and renunciation. We will realize that to find these opportunities of service it is necessary to look for them, thinking of the personalities of the people with whom we live or work, of what they need, of how we can be helpful or useful to them. The selfish person who lives far away from God is aware only of his own needs and whims.
from In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez pp. 194-195