20260810 THE POOR ARE THE TREASURES OF THE CHURCH
10 August 2026, Monday, St Lawrence, Deacon
First reading |
2 Corinthians 9:6-10 |
God loves a cheerful giver
Do not forget: thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow, the more you reap. Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver. And there is no limit to the blessings which God can send you – he will make sure that you will always have all you need for yourselves in every possible circumstance, and still have something to spare for all sorts of good works. As scripture says: He was free in almsgiving, and gave to the poor: his good deeds will never be forgotten.
The one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide you with all the seed you want and make the harvest of your good deeds a larger one.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 111(112):1-2,5-9 |
Happy the man who takes pity and lends.
Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in all his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed.
Happy the man who takes pity and lends.
The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honour.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever.
Happy the man who takes pity and lends.
He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
he will see the downfall of his foes.
Happy the man who takes pity and lends.
Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory.
Happy the man who takes pity and lends.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn8:12bc |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 12:24-26 |
If a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it yields a rich harvest
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘I tell you, most solemnly,
unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies,
it remains only a single grain;
but if it dies,
it yields a rich harvest.
Anyone who loves his life loses it;
anyone who hates his life in this world
will keep it for the eternal life.
If a man serves me, he must follow me,
wherever I am, my servant will be there too.
If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.’
THE POOR ARE THE TREASURES OF THE CHURCH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 Cor 9:6-10; Ps 111:1-2,5-9; Jn 12:24-26]
Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Lawrence, the deacon. This feast is particularly important because of the witness St. Lawrence gave to Christ–both by laying down his life as a martyr and by serving the poor.
St. Lawrence was martyred under the reign of Emperor Valerian. Tradition tells us that when the Roman Prefect ordered Lawrence to surrender the treasures of the Church to the Emperor, Lawrence requested chariots to transport them. When the chariots arrived, all he presented were the poor he had gathered together, declaring that they were the Church’s true treasures. For this defiant act, he was sentenced to death by being slowly roasted on a gridiron. Legend tells of his heroic endurance on the grill, during which he told his executioner to turn him over because one side was already well-done. Such was the courage and conviction of St. Lawrence that he was seen as a true witness for Christ–not only because he loved the Lord, but because he loved the poor just as much.
Indeed, a true Christian does not simply love the Lord; he must also share Christ’s heart of compassion for the poor. To be a witness for Christ is more than just professing our faith in Him as Lord and Saviour–it is to serve Him and recognise Him in the poor and suffering. St. Lawrence remembered the Lord’s teaching when he told the Prefect that the poor were the Church’s treasures, for Christ said in the Gospel: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). The poor are members of God’s family just as we are. To love the poor is to love the Lord, and to love the Lord is to love the poor. As the Lord promised: “If a man serves me, he must follow me; wherever I am, my servant will be there also. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him” (Jn 12:26).
Hence, the poor are the treasures of the Church because in them we see the face of Christ. They give us a unique opportunity to encounter the Lord through their suffering, poverty, and hunger. In ministering to them, we become more humane, as they open our hearts to compassion and love. Conversely, those of us who never interact with the poor often become absorbed in our own needs, pleasures, and entertainment–always self-centred, dissatisfied with our blessings, and inherently restless. Anyone who loves only himself in a selfish manner cannot find real happiness, as he cuts himself off from meaningful relationships. It is only when we listen to the struggles of our neighbours–sharing in their woes as well as their simple, grateful joys–that we can experience true fulfilment. The poor help us realise what brings genuine happiness: being united with others in their joys and sorrows.
The Second Reading invites us to give ourselves generously to Christ and the poor: “Thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow, the more you reap.” We are called to be generous, sharing out of our abundance. Because God has blessed us, we must in turn share those blessings with those in need. As St. Paul encourages us: “there is no limit to the blessings which God can send you – he will make sure that you will always have all you need for yourselves in every possible circumstance, and still have something to spare for all sorts of good works. As Scripture says: He was free in almsgiving, and gave to the poor: his good deeds will never be forgotten.” None of us is too poor to give. We can always offer whatever little we have. This is what giving entails–offering what the Lord has entrusted to us. He does not expect us to give what we do not have.
This is why giving requires us to die to ourselves. As long as we are afraid to die to our ego, we cannot give freely. What we give is an extension of who we are. We are called first to give of ourselves; only then can we discern what material gifts to offer. The Lord promised His disciples: “I tell you most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.” Like that grain of wheat, we must die to ourselves so we can bring life to others. Only by giving ourselves away do we grow beyond who we currently are. In serving others, our skills and knowledge deepen; in teaching others, we learn twice. The deaths of our Lord and His apostles–including St. Lawrence–became the seed for the Church’s growth.
Perhaps the reason the Catholic Church today is not growing as robustly–in either quality or quantity–is that we lack heroic witnesses like St. Lawrence and the early Christians, who were willing to give their entire lives for Christ and the poor. The Church today has become too inward-looking–a comfortable, middle-class club. We often come to Church seeking personal blessings for our families, health, businesses, and well-being, rather than seeking to do His will, build His kingdom, and serve those who are searching for the fullness of life. Even priests and religious can fall into the trap of seeking comfort. Many of us shun suffering, avoiding contact with the poor, sick, and wounded because it demands our energy and resources.
Yet we can thank God that the Church is being purified today, stripped of false glory, honour, and complacency. Corruption has harmed the Church and reached every level of the hierarchy. Scared by these scandals, many Catholics with nominal faith may leave, concluding that Christ is absent. Yet just as persecution purified and strengthened the love of St. Lawrence and the early Christians, this trial can purify us. When bishops, priests, religious, and laity alike come to a deep awareness of our sins, our infidelity to Christ, and the grave consequences of our indifference, the Church will begin to grow again. The Church must die to itself in order to live again.
Each of us must do our part to witness to Christ through our love for Him and the poor. As St. Paul wrote: “Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver.” We give cheerfully because we recognise how much we have received. We are called to be like the righteous person described in the psalm: “Happy the man who fears the Lord, who takes delight in all his commands. His sons will be powerful on earth; the children of the upright are blessed. The good man takes pity and lends, he conducts his affairs with honour. The just man will never waver: he will be remembered for ever. Open-handed, he gives to the poor; his justice stands firm for ever. His head will be raised in glory.”
When we do good, we have no fear of death and suffering, like St Paul, because we have already died to ourselves. “He has no fear of evil news; with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord. With a steadfast heart he will not fear; he will see the downfall of his foes.” That is why the Lord said: “Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life.” Having died to ourselves and our self-centeredness, we have nothing to hold us back from giving and sharing our lives with others. In the process of sharing our joys and resources with others, and their suffering and pain, we become united with them. Knowing that we have brought some joy, hope and relief to our brothers and sisters, even if it were just a smile, it is enough for us to feel that we have lived a life meaningfully and not in vain.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
