13th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 / Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 / Matthew 10:37-42
Today, the common theme running through all three readings is welcome, hospitality, and generosity.
There is an old fable about a pig and a cow. One day the pig complained to the cow, “People always praise you for being gentle and kind. You give milk and cream, but I give much more—bacon, ham, and even my bristles. Yet nobody likes me. Why?”
The cow thought for a moment and replied, “Maybe it is because I give while I am still living.”
That simple story teaches an important lesson. God does not ask us merely to leave something behind after we die. He asks us to be generous now—to give of ourselves while we are living.
And that’s what we see in today’s readings.
In the First Reading, we meet a generous woman from Shunem and her husband. Whenever the prophet Elisha passed through their town, they welcomed him warmly. They did not stop with a meal; they prepared a small room for him with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. They expected nothing in return. They simply saw a need and responded with kindness.
What is striking is that Elisha also showed generosity. He did not take advantage of their kindness. Instead, he prayed for them and became a blessing to their family. They received the gift they had long hoped for—a son. Their hospitality opened the door for God’s blessing. True generosity always creates a circle of blessing.
In the second reading, Saint Paul reminds us that through baptism, we have been joined with Christ. When we were baptized, we died and rose with Him. That means Christ lives in us now. So, when we welcome others, especially the least, we are welcoming Christ Himself. Because He shares His life with us, we are called to share that same love and welcome with others.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about two important things. First, He reminds us that God must come first in our lives. He is not asking us to love our families less. Rather, He is telling us that when God is at the center, we are able to love everyone else more deeply and faithfully.
Second, Jesus speaks about hospitality. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” What a beautiful thought! Every act of kindness shown to another person is an act of kindness shown to Christ Himself. Since Christ lives in us, we also meet Him in those around us, especially the least of our brothers and sisters.
Jesus even says that a cup of cold water given to someone in His name will not go unrewarded. Notice that He does not speak about great achievements. He speaks about simple acts of love.
Most of us will never do extraordinary things. But every day we have opportunities to do ordinary things with extraordinary love: a listening ear, a word of encouragement, a visit to someone who is lonely, a helping hand, a smile. These small acts may seem insignificant, but in God’s eyes they are precious.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
Generosity is not only about money. It is about giving our time, our attention, our compassion, our talents, and our love. Every good thing we have is a gift from God, and God invites us to share those gifts with others.
The happiest people are often the most generous people. Why? Because we are made in the image of God, and God is the greatest giver of all. The more we give, the more we become like Christ, who gave His very life for us.
As we come to the Eucharist today, let us ask ourselves: How can I be more welcoming? How can I be more generous? Who needs a cup of cold water from me this week?
May we leave this church ready to welcome Christ in others, to serve with joyful hearts, and to do small things with great love. Amen.