We should not expect ticker tape parades when we do the right thing or when we love people as we ought to. Instead, we should expect to be persecuted for these actions. If we go about life in this way, then when people show gratitude, we will be all the more thankful for it. However, if they show us hatred, then we have only received the same as Jesus and who are we to seek more than that? When we start believing we deserve to be treated better, or to be loved by others, and start thinking why can’t people love us as we love them… that is not the voice of charity speaking, but the voice of selfishness. We deserve nothing from God or others. What they give to us is all gain and we should not be so ungrateful as to ask for more.
Have we ever been charitable toward someone and had it thrown back into our face? Did we ever reconcile with that person? How can we learn to be thankful for what we have and not greedy for more?
O Lord, inspire us to do good works without thought of repayment by anyone but you.
Amen.
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