Homily on Luke 14:12–14: You Will Be Repaid (3-11-25)

There was once a village teacher who taught under a big tamarind tree near the river. He had no proper classroom, no blackboard, no salary. But he had a heart full of love for his students. Every morning, he would sweep the ground clean and draw letters on the dust with a stick. His students came barefoot, some hungry, some carrying broken slates. He never complained. When one child could not buy a pencil, he gave his own. When another came late, he simply smiled and said, “At least you came.”

Years passed. The little ones grew up. They left the village and went to faraway places. No one came back to thank him. The teacher grew old, his voice weak, his eyesight dim. Still, every morning, he sat under the tamarind tree, waiting to see if some child would come to learn. One day, as he sat alone, a car stopped near him. A man stepped out in a fine suit and touched his feet. The old teacher looked up in surprise. “Do you remember me?” the man asked. “I was that boy who used to sit in the last row, the one who always forgot his slate.” The teacher’s eyes filled with tears. The man continued, “Sir, everything I am today began under this tree. You gave me the courage to dream.” The old man smiled through his tears and whispered, “Then God has repaid me.”

My dear brothers and sisters, this is the message Jesus gives us today. He says, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or rich neighbours who can repay you. Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

We all like to be appreciated. We all wish for people to remember what we do. But Jesus invites us to a deeper kind of love; the love that gives without expecting. The old teacher did not teach for money or praise. He gave from his heart. In the same way, God calls us to love those who may never say “thank you.”

In the Old Testament, Joseph did this. His brothers sold him into slavery, yet when they came hungry to Egypt, he gave them food. He did not take revenge or wait for an apology. He said, “God sent me before you to save lives.” He understood that love is its own reward.

In our families too, there are many such “teachers.” A mother cooks daily and no one praises her. A father works silently, bearing his struggles. A sister or brother gives time and care, though others hardly notice. But heaven sees everything. Jesus says, “You will be repaid.” That repayment may not come in money or fame, but it comes in peace.

St. Therese of Lisieux once said, “To love is to give everything and to give oneself.” She lived a hidden life, but her soul was radiant with joy because she knew that every little act of love was seen by God.

Sometimes, when we serve others and receive no thanks, it hurts. But that pain itself becomes a prayer. It becomes our sharing in the heart of Jesus, who gave everything on the Cross, even when the world turned away. True love does not keep an account; it keeps on giving.

So let us live like that old village teacher, who was giving freely, teaching patiently, loving quietly, never worrying about who notices. God notices. And one day, perhaps not in this world but surely in His presence, He will whisper to us, “You have been repaid.”

Lord Jesus, teach me to give without counting, and to find my reward in Your love alone. Amen.

⇒If you find this reflection meaningful and fruitful, please share it with others

The Team Search offers retreats, reflections, and classes for religious and others on various biblical themes, the Eucharist, prayer, spiritual direction, Missiology, English phonetics (basic & advanced), Mariology, the Sacraments, the Desert Fathers, and more. We are happy to assist you if you find it hard to get a resource person for any Christian topic.

♦Contact: thesearch1994@gmail.com

God Bless…