"Pure contemplation lies in receiving."
— St. John of the Cross

I won a raffle for a balloon ride many years ago at our parish women's group luncheon.

The gentleman who donated the prize and I accompanied two other balloons early one morning, ascending from the Rockford airport and following the wind currents over to Rockford College. It was a terrific introduction to flying.

Back then, I simply accepted the prize with delight and enjoyed it. Perhaps because I was young and up to that point had needed to receive most everything necessary for life, accepting gifts was not a complicated matter.

The art of that simple receiving now often eludes me. I often approach gifts as having strings attached and see the truth of "no such thing as a free lunch." I think some gifts need to be reciprocated somehow — sort of a positive tit-for-tat.

This view impacts my spiritual life, and my sainted mentor, whom I've quoted above, probably more than once has pounded his head on a heavenly wall at my inability to receive gifts well.

Why do we make simple things so complicated? Is it the harsher blows of life, or perhaps the circumstances that make our dreams evaporate into nothingness? Is it the discovery of our very real limitations after taking to heart words of encouragement that came our way? Do we then distrust gifts that encourage us to dream again?

Whatever the causes, the result is the opposite of the childlike acceptance of gifts from God — which all good gifts are — that will allow us to do His will now and later enter His kingdom.

One thing that has helped me see this sad fault of mine is noticing its presence in others. Many of us get nervous when good things come our way, fearing that "the other shoe will drop," as though God would play with us as a cat plays with a mouse, teasing us a bit before pouncing. Our faith teaches us differently, but do we have the ears to hear and the motivation to move past a habitual, pessimistic approach to God and His gifts?

What might help us change?

My own motivation to regain this lost art of receiving intensifies whenever a gift that I try to give another is not accepted well. I'm just trying to be nice, but some feel they must find two doors to hold open to my one. That is frustrating for the giver.

Perhaps we can remember such frustrations whenever we begin to pull back from God's gifts. Or, on the flip side, we can remember how happy we were when someone we loved received our gift with joy. We can use these memories to make a conscious effort to be delightful to God in our receiving His gifts to us.

Those of us stuck with niggling concerns about paying back a gift might be able to take comfort in knowing that many of God's gifts are given to benefit both us and others directly, or to help us become a living gift to others.

Our tangible gifts can be tithed, which is a systematic way to practice the privilege of participating in God's work. When we are ready, stewardship can take us farther on this path.

But God's gifts are not always so material. He might give us the gift of happiness so we can brighten another's day or keep positive in difficult circumstances. He may give the gift of a particular talent so we can help uplift the world. Or even a gift that feels like a trial so we can help another through a similar difficulty.

But sometimes, God gives gifts just because He wants to. If we, in all our misery, enjoy giving a gift to someone we love, how much more so for the One who is Love?

Whether we win a raffle, enjoy a safe trip, are showered with flowers or simply experience an unexpected boost of happiness, let us practice receiving good things from our Lord, who gives good gifts.

Sometimes just because.