Giving Is An Act Of Dying

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n today’s Gospel (Lk 11:5-13), Jesus gives us a simple, yet profound image—a man asking his neighbor for bread in the middle of the night. There is something deep about food that our Lord would like us to see. Food is like the principle of life because all the food that we eat gives strength, health, and joy. Just look at the variety of festivities that many cultures around the world celebrate—almost all are centered on food. But in this parable, it’s much more than just a meal. The story of bread here is deeply spiritual. It is the story of how God meets not only our physical needs but our heart’s longings.

First, let’s reflect on how food, especially bread, is a sign of God’s covenant throughout Scripture. Think back to the Israelites wandering in the desert, where God provided manna from heaven when they had nothing to eat. Or look at the Last Supper, where Jesus gave Himself to His disciples in the form of bread and wine. Every time food appears in the Gospels, it is a moment of mercy and compassion towards the outcasts and sinners. Food is the means used by God to come close to us.

And of course, the ultimate expression of this sustenance is in the Eucharist—the "Bread of Life." Here, we receive not just bread, but Christ's "Real Presence," the one who strengthens us for our spiritual journey. Every time we come to the table of grace, we are reminded that God is the source of all we need, both for this life and the next.

For my second point, in the parable Jesus doesn’t just call us to receive; He calls us to action. Love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words. The man who knocks on his neighbor’s door in the middle of the night acts on the love he has not for himself or his own family but for another. I like the New International Version Bible translation: “even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” This is a lesson for us— shameless audacity and persistence in seeking God, but also shameless audacity and persistence in helping others. The world is full of people who are hungry, not just for food, but for love, mercy, and compassion. St John Vianney saw the poor as treasures of the Church because they give us the opportunity to practice charity, humility, and love. He reminded us that when we give to the poor, we are giving to Jesus Himself. As he said, "When we give to the poor, we are giving to Jesus."

Think about that for a moment—when we give to others, we encounter Christ. No wonder it is better to give than to receive because it’s more than just our love for others but God’s love for us. We have received already so much out of God’s love. Giving becomes an act of love for God. And St John Vianney emphasized that this love, this charity, is the foundation of the Christian life. It’s through our willingness to give that we grow closer to God, and God rewards us for it, both in this life and in the next.

Third and last point, Jesus came down to become our food, our nourishment, our Bread of Life in Bethlehem (in Arabic Bayt Laḥm means “House of Meat,” in Hebrew Bet Leḥem means “House of Bread”). But to become food means also a certain death. When we start to give we start to prepare for death. “Truly, truly I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn 12:24). Pope Francis reminds us that acts of love and mercy here on Earth are a foretaste of heaven. He once said, "We will take with us into Heaven only what we have given away." It’s a powerful statement, isn’t it? It reminds us that our material possessions won’t follow us into eternal life, but the love, kindness, and generosity we show to others will. Every act of giving is an investment in heaven. The love we show now prepares us for the love we will fully experience with God in eternity.

So, brothers and sisters, as we reflect on today’s Gospel, let us remember that food is more than sustenance. It is a sign of God’s provision, an opportunity to encounter Christ, and a means of participating in God’s love. Let us be persistent in our prayers. Every time we share, every time we give, we are storing up treasures in heaven, where selflessness and love will be our eternal reward. Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ