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Today is Tuesday, the 18 June, in the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time.
Jodi Penner sings, “They that sow “ - When the Lord released our bonds, we were like the ones who dreamed. Then our mouths filled with laughter, and our tongues resounded with joy.
Today’s reading is from the Second Letter to the Corinthians.
Like many Christian leaders after him, Paul here is in the business of raising money. How do you feel about being asked for money? And indeed about actually asking for it?
In this passage, Paul is trying to encourage the church in Corinth to give money to express unity with other Christian communities. How does this idea of giving money to someone, or to an organisation, in order to become more closely united to others, make you feel?
Listen again: and try and hear how Paul is linking his money-raising to a powerful vision of the Christ who was rich and became poor for our sakes—the Macedonians have been generous because they’ve caught on to this truth.
What do you make of this sort of strategy? Fair enough, or a kind of manipulation? Perhaps you can spend a few minutes thinking of someone who makes real demands on you—bring your relationship with them to the Lord, and ask yourself and Him if there’s anything that needs to change.