For It Is in Giving That We Receive
Becoming Instruments of God’s Peace
I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.
-Maya Angelou
The Prayer of St Francis concludes with these words: “For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.”
At last year’s Christmas gathering, our seven-year-old grandson surprised us all. Rather than opening his gifts first, he wanted us to open the special gift that he had made for each of us. His new-found delight in the giving of a gift was as precious as the gift itself.
“Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive,’” says Acts 20:35. Joining these words with the quote from Maya Angelou, we see that the giving of ourselves to others not only blesses them, but blesses and liberates our souls, as well. Connecting these words perfectly exemplifies what Robbin Brent shared with us earlier this week: God speaks to us through Scripture and through the sacred words of spiritual writers like Maya Angelou.
As you consider the theme this past week of becoming an instrument of God’s peace, perhaps there was a particular insight that came to you from a reflection, quote, or a particular line from St. Francis’ prayer. One that stood out for me in the final two lines of his prayer is the awareness that the peace and truth of the Gospel is often paradoxical: “It is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Making it Personal: Can you think of a time when you gave to someone and yet received more back than you gave? Was there a particular portion of the Peace Prayer that inspired you to consider new ways to be an instrument of God’s peace in the world? How might you continue to listen for how God is inviting you to share God’s love and peace?