The Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ | Wednesday 21 June 2023

Today is Wednesday the 21st of June, the feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ, in the 11th week of Ordinary time.

The community of Taizé sing Gott ist nur Liebe.

‘God is nothing but love. Dare to give all for love. Give yourselves without fear.’

Gott ist nur Liebe. Wagt, für die Liebe alles zu geben.
Gott ist nur Liebe. Gebt euch ohne Furcht.




Today’s reading is from the Second letter to the Corinthians.


2 Corinthians 9:6-11

The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,

‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures for ever.’


He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us.

Imagine a sower in a field, scattering the seed by hand, reaching it as far as possible. He repeats this until the seed is finished. He knows that if he sows a generous quantity, he is more likely to reap an abundant harvest. What do you notice as you imagine this?

Today’s reading asks us to be generous and cheerful givers, giving to the poor, and if we can do this too, we will be blessed abundantly and always have enough. What is your experience of both giving and receiving?

Take a moment now to look at your hands, remembering how you distribute your giving? Perhaps you feel that you have large and generous and open hands like the sower we’ve just pictured, or maybe you feel that your giving is limited.


Can you be open to being challenged or changing your habits in this area of your life? What might God lay on your heart about this issue?

As you listen to the reading again, notice what is said about the generosity of God.

Imagine again, the sower in his field. This time, the sower has arrived to harvest his abundant crop. Picture this crop now. What does it look like?


‘God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance.’

Take a moment now to talk with God about what these words mean to you. Include your struggles and blessings.


Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.