Homily on Matthew 7:7-12, Give what you Expect (Thursday, March 13, 2025)

Praise be to Jesus Christ.

A stranger was once walking through a thick forest when he came across a burning candle placed on a high rock. To his surprise, he saw a blind man sitting nearby. Curious, he asked, “Why have you placed a candle here when you cannot see anything around you?” The blind man smiled and replied, “This candle is not for me. I keep it here every night so that others passing through this forest may have light and not stumble in the dark.” The man had lost his sight years ago after falling in the forest one night when he was walking home without a light.

This small act carries a deep message. What you wish for yourself, do for others. If you need light, bring light to others. This is the heart of Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel: “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets.” Here, Jesus gives us a simple yet powerful command. He is not just teaching us to avoid doing harm. He is calling us to actively do good. This is the true measure of our love. In this season of Lent, as we fast and pray, let us also remember that true fasting is not just avoiding food but filling others lives with kindness. A great example of this comes from the life of St. Martin of Tours. One day, while riding his horse, he saw a beggar shivering in the cold. He had no money to give, but he took his own cloak, cut it into half, and gave one part to the poor man. That night, in a dream, Martin saw Jesus wearing the same half-cloak. He understood that what he did for the poor, he did for Christ.

This teaching of Jesus is not new. We find it in the Old Testament as well. In the Book of Tobit, the aged father Tobit tells his son Tobias:
“Do to no one what you yourself do not like.” (Tobit 4:15)

However, Jesus goes beyond this. He transforms this teaching from a passive rule—avoiding harm—into an active and creative command: Do good to others. He does not simply say, “Do not hurt others,” but rather, “Love them. Help them. Show kindness.”

During Lent, we reflect on the sufferings of Jesus. He carried our burdens. He did not think of himself but of us. He healed, forgave, and gave his life for our salvation. How can we respond to such love? By showing that same love to others.
⦁ Do you want kindness? Be kind.
⦁ Do you want forgiveness? Forgive.
⦁ Do you want love? Love others.

There is a famous saying: “The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose.”
If you want the fragrance of a rose, give a rose to others and if you want the scent of jasmine, share jasmine with others. This means that when we do good to others, the joy of that goodness remains with us.
On the other hand, if we get angry at others, even for small reasons, we also lose our own peace. We feel restless, unhappy, and without enthusiasm. That is why Jesus teaches us: “Do for others what you want others to do for you.”

During this Lenten season, let us strive to be good, kind, and compassionate to everyone. Even if others do not always return our goodness, let us continue to do good. By living this principle of Jesus, we will bring light to the world and experience true joy in our hearts.

Lord, help us to live the profound message of today’s Gospel in our daily lives, so that everyone may find happiness and peace. Amen.