St. Lawrence, a Deacon in Rome in the 3rd Century, was responsible for the Church's property. When asked to surrender the assets of the Church to the Roman Prefect, he gathered the poor and declared them to be the "treasure" of the Church. This led to his martyrdom - he was roasted on a grid-iron.

This kind of total giving of oneself is obviously not the "thin sowing" St Paul mentions in his 2nd Letter to the Corinthians. Rather, it is what Jesus Himself declares to His disciples: "Unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest." (John 12:24). Life, eternal life, is given to those who die to the world. There is no limit to the blessings which God can send you." (2 Cor. 9:8).

Paul, in this part of his Letter, is not so much concerned with the ultimate living of one's life for love of Christ. He is referring to almsgiving for the cause of Christ, and he emphasises that Christian charity and stewardship are part of our proper response to God's love.

This response, this service, means following Jesus to the very end, no matter where. Faithfulness and willingness even in small things such as almsgiving are as important as great deeds, says St. Paul.