Sower at Sunset
Vincent van Gogh, 1888
Greetings my dear friends,
On this day of Thanksgiving, I would like to reflect on the beautiful passage from 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. In this passage, the Apostle Paul urges the people of Corinth to be generous and joyful givers. He reminds them that whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Paul also reminds us that God loves a cheerful giver. Giving should not be done grudgingly or out of a sense of obligation, but with a happy heart and a desire to help others. When we give with joy, we create a positive energy that not only benefits the receiver but also uplifts our own spirits.
Furthermore, Paul speaks of the abundance of blessings that come from giving. When we give generously, we are blessed in return. These blessings may not always be material, but they can include spiritual growth, inner peace, and a sense of connection to something greater than ourselves.
In all Buddhist traditions, generosity is the first of the paramitas - noble character qualities generally associated with enlightened beings. Giving to others is a way to express our compassion and loving kindness towards them. Giving freely, joyfully and wisely, without any expectation of reward, is the greatest antidote to attachment (greed and miserliness), one of the three "psychic poisons" that lead to deluded behavior and ultimately to suffering for ourselves and others. See, for instance, the Fire Sermon, and consider these words from Atisha:
The best generosity is the absence of possessiveness.
- from Wisdom of the Kadam Masters
Finally, Paul reminds us that the ultimate source of our blessings is God. It is through God's grace that we have been blessed with abundance, and it is through our giving that we show our gratitude for these blessings.
My dear friends, let us heed the words of the Apostle Paul and cultivate generosity and joy in our giving. Let us give freely and without expectation, with a happy heart and a desire to help others. Let us remember that through our giving, we create abundance and blessings for ourselves and for others. And let us always give thanks to God for the abundance of blessings in our lives.
May you all be blessed with happiness, peace, and abundant life.