more

        “How much more” Mt 7.11

 

We are quite familiar with the chain of supermarkets named MORE. I suppose the owners chose this name to tell the customers that they can get more than their money’s worth from these stores.

Our Father’s store of goods is also named ‘MORE’.  Here also we can get more than what we pay for.  What we deserve for our payment is too little. The Father gives MORE than we deserve, MORE than we ask for. But there are some rules. We are not allowed to horde or waste. For luxury and cosmetic items one has  to pay. These items are not essential for life instead some of them may be harmful.  It costs us to do ourselves harm. The labels are clear. One has the freedom to choose.

 Essential goods are free. The air we breathe,  the water we drink, the sunshine that makes all things grow, all these essential items are given free, regardless of whether we have membership of  the store or not, “for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous” Mt 5:45.  One can have all these essential goods as much as one needs. There is enough for all.   But we cannot store to satisfy our greed or pollute or destroy. That is against the rules.

The Son who has come among us from the Father wants us to recognize the magnanimous heart of the Father and  invites us to take advantage of his generosity, “If you know how to give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.” ( Mt 7.11) . The Son was never tired of recounting the goodness of the Father in his parables and preaching.  Every page of the New Testament is a testimony of “ HOW MUCH MORE THE FATHER GIVES.”

When the prodigal son returned home, he was hoping that he would be received back as a  hired worker. He hoped for accommodation in the servant’s quarters and eat their  food. But the Father gives him a ring and a robe and sandals and restores him as a son. He kills the fattened calf and calls for a celebration. Father gives far ‘MORE’ than the son ever hoped for.

The last comers in the parable of the vineyard hoped to get perhaps one-fourth of the wages but they were pleasantly surprised when they got a full day’s wage and went home whistling and rejoicing.          “ How much MORE the father gives…”

In the parable of the Wedding Banquet, those who were invited at the last moment from the lanes and by lanes, hoped for the left-overs and a place at the servant’s quarters but they were pleasantly surprised to be given wedding garments and seated in the wedding hall and served the choicest of foods and  as much as they wanted. “ How much MORE the father gives… “

Peter asked Jesus the question, “We have left everything and followed you, what will we have?”.  In reply, Jesus promised a hundred percent in this life and everlasting life in the next. What MORE could he ask for?

Peter gave his boat to Jesus as a pulpit to preach from, and in return he got a boat full of fish. A fisherman could not have asked for MORE.

The Samaritan woman gave Jesus  a bucket of water and in return, she got a perennial spring.  What MORE  could she be given in a parched waterless land?

At Cana, the servants filled the jars with water and in place of water they got fresh new wine, “up to the brim”. “ How much MORE the Father gives…”

The boy gave two fish and five barley loaves to Jesus and in return, he gets twelve baskets full after five thousand people had eaten. “How much MORE the father gives… “

“ Give, and it will be given to you,” says  Jesus “ a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put  into your lap .” ( Lk7.38)

“Ask and it will be given you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened…” (Lk 7.7)

“ What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, HOW MUCH MORE, will the heavenly Father give to those who ask him!”  Lk.11.13                                                                                 - Fr T.V. George sdb