Home > Advent Blog 2025

Who is more gracious than a child?

December 6, 2025

1 Kings 17:7-16|Psalm 145:8-13| 1 John 4:7-14| Mark 10:13-16

Today’s readings have an obvious theme: Generosity.

Appropriate, as we celebrate the feast day of a certain Bishop of Myra, called Nicholas. It is a virtue to give without expectation, to live non-transactionally, not counting the value or cost of each human interaction. To give to a stranger is strangely satisfying, although that very satisfaction holds a temptation – to give “generously” for your own satisfaction without truly seeing the needs of those around you.

Therefore generosity, as a virtue, cannot stand alone. Generosity (1 Kings 17:7-16) stems from compassion (Psalm 145:8-13), which itself stems from an awareness of others’ suffering. So too, we need an awareness of our own abundance, whether that is an abundance of food, wealth, time, or experience – lest our “generosity” leave us in dire straits. Only then can we see the need, know the suffering, and give generously. Yet, I think the second lesson (1 John 4:7-14) calls us to something deeper – to get to know those to whom we give. To know them so well that we may love them – for who can truly know the suffering of a stranger?

Let us love one another as we are loved, love as God loves, with full knowledge of ourselves and each other. Only then can we know their need, share their suffering, and live generously like a little child (Mark 10:13-16).

Ben Lovejoy