So we want you to know
brothers/sisters
about the grace of God,
which has been given
to the churches of Macedonia
how in a great ordeal of affliction
their abundance of joy
and their extreme poverty
overflowed
in the riches of generosity.
For according to their power
I bear witness
and beyond their power
of their own choice
with much encouragement
they begged us for the grace
of sharing the ministry for the saints
and not (giving) just as we hoped
but they gave themselves
first to the Lord
and to us,
by the will of God,
So we urged Titus
that just as he had begun
so also he should complete
among you
this grace.
Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.
Thomas More (c.1478-1535)