MEDITATION : 

Generosity is the ability to give selflessly where love prevails over selfishness. It is in the generous self-denial that the depth of a love that does not run out in words is manifested.

And that is what we celebrate at Christmas: the unparalleled gesture of a God who gives himself.

Saint Paul emphasizes this in his second letter to the Corinthians (8:7-15) when he invites them to share their goods with the needy:

"But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality,as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” (Ex. 16: 18).

We know how to love when we know how to share, we know how to love when we give the best of ourselves rather than just giving things. Let us therefore make the best decision: give love, affection, tenderness and forgiveness; give time and give joy and hope. It is the gifts that are worth the most and cost nothing. Let us give love, as Saint John of the Cross said:

"Where there is no love, sow love and you will reap love."