Link to audio: https://www.focolare.org.uk/podcasts/2013-05.mp3


Has it ever happened that you received a gift from a friend and then felt you had to reciprocate — not so much because you felt obliged to pay the person back, but simply out of love and gratitude? I’m sure it has.

If you feel this way, imagine how God must feel, God who is love. God reciprocates every gift that we give to any neighbor in his name. True Christians experience this frequently. And each time it is a surprise. We can never get used to the inventiveness of God.

I could give you a thousand examples of this. I could even write a book on this subject alone, and you would see how true are the words, “A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be put into your lap.” God always reciprocates with generosity.

Here is one example. Night had fallen in Rome. In their basement apartment, a small group of young women who wanted to live the Gospel were wishing each other good night. Then the doorbell rang. Who could it be at this hour? At the door they found a panic-stricken young father. He was desperate: the following day he and his family were going to be evicted because they had been unable to pay their rent.

The women looked at one another and then, in silent agreement, went to the dresser drawer. There they kept what was left of their salaries. In envelopes marked “gas,” “electricity” and “telephone” was the money they had set aside for these bills. Without a moment’s worry about what would happen to them, they gave all the money to their visitor. That night they went to bed very happy. They knew someone else would take care of them.

Just before dawn the phone rang. It was the same man. “I’ve called a taxi, and I’m coming right over!” Amazed that he should have chosen to come by taxi, they awaited his arrival. As soon as they saw his face they knew something had changed. “Last night, as soon as I  got home,” he said. “I found I had received an inheritance I never dreamed I would get. My heart told me I should give half of it to you.” The amount he gave them was exactly twice what they had generously given him. 

“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be put into your lap.”

Haven’t you also experienced this? If not, remember that the gift must be given with no self-interest, without hoping to get it back, and to whoever asks for it.

Try it, not so that you can see if it works, but because you love God.

You might be tempted to say, “I have nothing to give.” That’s not true. If we want to, each of us can discover that we possess inexhaustible treasures: our free time, our love, our smile, our advice, our peace, our words that might persuade someone who has to give to someone who has not.

You might also say, “I don’t know whom to give to.” Just look around you: don’t you remember that sick person in the hospital, that widow who always feels lonely, that boy in your class who failed and got discouraged, the young man who is sad because he can’t find a job, your little sister or brother who needs a helping hand, that friend who is in prison, that new person at work who is unsure of herself? In each person, Christ is waiting for you.

Put on the new style of behavior that comes from the Gospel and is the garment of a Christian. It is the exact opposite of having a closed mind or being concerned only about ourselves. Stop putting your trust in this world’s goods, and start relying on God. This will show your faith in him, and you will see from the gifts you receive that your faith is well founded.

It becomes apparent, however, that God does not give as he does in order to make us rich. He acts in this way so that many, many others, seeing the little miracles that happen to us as a result of our giving, may decide to do the same.

God also gives to us because the more we have the more we can give. He wants us to be administrators of his goods and see to it that they are distributed throughout the community around us, so that others might be able to repeat what was said of the first Christian community, “There was not a needy person among them” (Acts 4:34).

Don’t you think that in this way you too can help give a solid spiritual foundation to the social change that the world is waiting for?

“Give and it will be given to you.”

When Jesus said these words, undoubtedly he was thinking first and foremost of the reward we will receive in heaven. But the reward we receive on this earth gives us already a foretaste and a guarantee of our heavenly reward.

Chiara Lubich

(Previously published in June 1978 and October 2008)


Each month a Scripture passage is offered as a guide and inspiration for daily living. This commentary, translated into 96 different languages and dialects, reaches several million people worldwide through print, radio, television and the Internet. Ever since the Focolare’s beginnings, founder Chiara Lubich (1920–2008) wrote her commentaries each month.

8 Comments

  • É verdade, o presente recebido com amor é reconhecido na hora.
    E Deus está sempre nos dando presente, principalmente quando sentimos que alguém tentou destruir a sua vida, nessa hr, a presença e o presente de Deus é tudo.

  • A friend wanted to meet me for lunch one day before she leaves for vacation. That particular day I had planned to do many things before I go on vacation. A friend also wanted a ride to her doctor’s appointment. Instead of saying no to my friends I decided to lose the plans in order to love my neighbors who asked for my “time”.
    My friend cancelled the appointment because she was asked to work that day and my elderly friend did not get an appointment for that day.
    It all worked out in the end

  • Very beautiful Chiara is alive and she will never die!!! thanks so much for the great work you are diong to bring a head this marvellous work of Chiara. Bellissimo ascoltare la voce di Chiara mi smebrava che lei mi parlasse dal cielo la sento molto accanto a me sempre chiedo il suo aiuto e veramente interviene.
    grazie mille per quest’ opportunita’. a million thanks with all my heart

  • LASCIATI GUIDARE

    Tu che ti affanni e cammini
    per la via
    libero di andare dove vuoi,
    fermati.
    Lasciati guidare.
    Tra letti e carrozzine vedrai
    volti che gemono,
    volti segnati dal tempo
    che invocano
    un po’ di compagnia,
    volti che semplicemente sorridono.
    Lasciati guidare dalla Vita
    e il grigiore dei tuoi giorni
    s’illuminerà di luce

  • Our family had purchased a beautiful carpet for our house.but one day my wife decided to give that carpet to her sister. I was a bit sad and it took me a lot of time to say yes. I realised that there is joy in giving and to give till it hurts. We gave this gift with joy.
    After some time our friends went for a holiday to the same place where we had purchased the carpet. In a telephonic conversation they asked us what do you wan from this place? our reply the carpet
    They most willingly got it for us.

  • Estabamos recien casado y teníamos el dinero justo para pagar el agua, la gasolina y algún imprevisto. Volviendo a casa un niño pobre me pide ayuda, y con dudas le doy el dinero de los imprevistos. Cuando se lo cuento a Irene me dice que está bien, que ese niño seguramente lo necesita más que nosotros, que debemos confiar. Por la tarde un familiar llega y nos devuelve una gran cantidad de dinero prestado con el cual ya no contábamos. Con Irene agradecimos juntos al Padre.

  • Queste parole sono vere, le ho sperimentato tante volte ma sento che Dio mi chiede di metterle in pratica oggi, di dare con più coscienza e fidarmi di più di Dio!

  • This WOL is very true On Tuesday I went for work. one of the general workers asked for a little money which I gave freely. These days we are working( I am a teacher) though schools are closed. When I went to the Accounts office to receive what I had worked for, for the day, I was surprised that the Administration had given us some amount we were not expecting. In fact this was five times what I had given the general worker.

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