Matthew 10:40-42
40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
God's Rewards
This Gospel invites us to consider the extent to which we contribute to Jesus' mission. How and to which extent are we "salt of the earth and light of the world?" Matthew 5:13-14.
Jesus helps us to see the correlation between the Father, the Son and the generous donors that give a cup of cold water (V. 42). We are invited to welcome and assist these messengers, who are carrying His message and representing Him with dignity and faithfulness.
Supporting their witness, we offer our contribution to His work. Some things may look very small or insignificant, but they mean a lot. A glass of cold water looks like a small sign of solidarity, but in hot weather and dry areas, it is of great value.
Thirst is deadly, and this reminds us of Jesus' thirst on the Cross. He left our world asking for a sip of water, a sip of life. This is what He means by saying "a cup of cold water" to quench one's thirst.
The faithful are expected to practice generous and free hospitality by giving without expecting anything in return. The river irrigates the surrounding trees, the trees offer fruit. The sun provides light and heat. Giving with love and generosity becomes a prerogative of Jesus' disciples.
The donor who doesn't expect any reward honors a prophet according to his rank or quality as a prophet sent by God. He reminds people of God’s love and mercy, and to respond with obedience and reciprocated love.
We read about the widow of Zarephath in I Kings 17:8-16. She was rewarded because she gave all she had. Jesus refers to the widow in the temple in Mark 12:44, "They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Proverbs 11:18 says "A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward."
Let us pray for the Messengers who bring the Good News to be real ambassadors of Christ, and for the faithful to offer them their contribution for God's glory, who knows how to reward them. "God loves a cheerful giver" II Corinthians 9:7. Mother Teresa said, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." How much love do we pour into our gifts, however small?