The reading from 2nd Corinthians, often dubbed “The Cheerful Giver” is one with which we are all familiar. If we were asked to name a cheerful giver, someone who finds great joy in sharing their wealth with others, most of us would probably think of someone on the list of billionaires in America. And truth in fact, they are generous. The top 25 wealthiest people in the United States gave away $27 billion in 2022.

But if we think even harder about someone who gives without counting the cost, who gives without expecting anything in return, and, who always gives out of love, then the person we are thinking about is God. What person, living or dead, can exceed the gifts that God bestows on us every day?

The gifts from God are too numerous to mention. Where would we be, had he not given us the gifts of the church, of faith, of forgiveness and the gift of eternal life? And like all his gifts, each one of these is not only cheerfully given, but also wrapped in endless love for us.

So, now the question to reflect upon is what gifts from God, both spiritual and personal, do we cherish the most? And equally as important, what are we doing with these endless gifts from God? Are we like the charity that receives a multi-million dollar contribution and then spends the vast majority of it for the “overhead expenses” of their foundation instead of distributing to those in need? Are we sharing God’s gifts to us, or are we hoarding them for our own personal benefit?

Very few reading this reflection are likely billionaires, but that does not mean each of us does not have valuable gifts to share. God gave us unique talents that we should freely share with others as we live out our faith and in service to the Church. Maybe some of us are great organizers who could help the parish with its events. Maybe some of us are skilled healthcare professionals who could volunteer at clinics for the underserved. Maybe some of us have a green thumb and could help to spruce up the church grounds or an elderly neighbor’s yard.

During our daily Examen of Conscience, we must continue to remind ourselves that we are all beneficiaries of God’s cheerful and endless gifts, and these gifts were given to us in the hope that we would share them with others, that we would not hoard God’s gifts for our own personal benefit but multiply them by reaching out to others.

Just imagine if each of us were truly willing to share our God-given time, talent and treasure for the benefit of his kingdom, how wonderful our world and our brief time here would be.