A few years ago, I encountered an idea from Mary Rose O'Reilley's book "Radical Presence: Teaching as Contemplative Practice" that changed the way I think about completing mundane tasks and being stressed by busyness. A very loose paraphrase of the idea goes like this: when you feel like you don't have enough time, try taking more time to do things; it takes as long as it takes. This method helps one slow down a racing mind, surrender to the reality that being human and doing work takes time and be present in the moment. I have found this to welcome in peace and even joy when completing tasks I otherwise might try to rush through to "just get done."

If that is true for time, I think it is also true for generosity. When we feel like we don't have enough, paradoxically, giving selflessly to others bears fruit, brings joy and gives gift. It creates opportunity; good things come for us and for others. I think this holds true for being generous with our time, our gifts and our money.

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 (NAB), Paul encourages us in this. He writes, "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: 'He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.' The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness."

Being generous is a sign nothing we have is ours; it is all gift from our God to be shared. Our abundance belongs to others, and God provides for us in the giving away of what we have, bringing joy and love our way through our choice to give.

Of course, sometimes it is good to set boundaries: there are things in life we are called to say yes to and things in life we are called to say no to -- we learn through prayer. But there is joy in sharing our lives, our thoughts, our gifts with others. There is joy in participating in community life and involving ourselves. There is joy in giving. We can trust God with our time, money and gifts and say yes when God asks us to step into community.

The other day, a priest reminded me of this truth: God will not be outdone in generosity. Whatever we give, God repays sevenfold. We can open up our lives and allow God's presence into them more deeply through giving to others what we have and know, to help them know God more deeply, too. We can meet God in the people to whom we give our lives. Perhaps the extent to which we give will be the extent of how deeply we know our God.