“Consider the infinite liberality of God, which consists in continually giving to His creatures immense gifts and graces without owing them anything nor expecting any return or profit from them. Repass in thy mind all the gifts of nature and of grace that God bestows on all, and especially those that He has granted to thee. Behold how generous He has shown Himself and does daily show Himself, and how bound therefore thou art to serve Him and to be generous towards Him. Return Him many thanks for all this, and renew thy resolution of serving Him.
Consider the second point wherein His liberality is manifested, namely, in the quality of the gifts that He bestows on man. For they are such that a single degree of grace is of greater value than all the treasures of the world, and the generosity of God is such that He even gives Himself, His Son, and the Holy Ghost, and His Body and Blood in sacrifice and as food, and lastly, as a reward to be eternally enjoyed in bliss. Learn to be generous towards God, to give Him all that thou hast and all that thou art, thy body, thy blood, thy soul, and all thy powers to be employed in His holy service.
Consider the third manner in which His generosity shines forth, namely, in giving to all without any exception, most equally, as far as His will is concerned, and learn to be generous towards thy neighbor, not limiting thyself to this one or that from love or affection to any in particular.
The fourth quality of this generosity of God’s is that He gives without owing, and without expecting payment from creatures; for he that gives what he owes or sells for the sake of profit cannot be termed generous. Ponder within thyself this perfection of God, and derive thence a firm resolution of being very generous towards Him, not confining thyself to what thou owest in regard to precepts, but performing moreover in His service works of supererogation for His glory’s sake, without any view to recompense, in order that He may be generous towards thee according as thou art generous towards Him.”
Alonso de Andrade in Daily meditations on the mysteries of our holy faith, and on the lives of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Saints, translated from Spanish (London: Burns & Oates, 1878), 112th meditation.