Cycle B - Year I:

8 November 2015: Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Liturgical color: Green)

Gospel: Please read Mark 12:38-44


Giving all from the heart....

A man of immense wealth has died. On the day of his funeral, his widow grieved in silence as she witnessed the casket lowered into the pit. A small box was also buried with the casket in the pit.

Curious, the widow's best friend whispered to the widow, "What is that box for?"

The widow replied, "When my husband was still alive, he gave strict instruction to bury all his wealth with him when he died."

The friend commented, "But that's impossible to contain all his wealth in such a small box."

The widow replied, "Yes, you are right. So I deposited all his money in my bank account, and issued him my personal check instead." End of the story.

The following Gospel incident tells us how to deal with earthly riches.

Our Lord Jesus, observing how the crowd put money into the treasury, notices a poor widow as she enters the temple of Jerusalem and makes a meager offering of two small coins. Jesus contrasts her

gift with that of some wealthy people who offer greater sums. To the surprise of all, Jesus proclaims that the widow gave more than the others. And why is that so? Because she gave "all she had, her whole livelihood," according to our Lord.

So Jesus uses this incident to teach his disciples a dramatic lesson in giving with love. Real giving must come from the heart. A gift that is given out of love, with the spirit of generosity and sacrifice, is truly invaluable. Contrast that with the gift that is given just for others to see, or for public display, which loses most of its value. For love is more precious than gold.

God's love looks very much like this. Our Lord defines Christian love as the generous gift of self to others. It begins with the reckless abandonment to God. That means placing all our trust in Him. Of course, it is never easy. Because it actually demands a spiritual leap off a cliff into the strong, loving arms of God. Yet, once we dwell in the embrace of God, then love becomes a self-emptying for the sake of the other.

Sometimes, what we have to offer to the Lord may look very small and not worth much, but if we put all we have at the Lord's disposal, no matter how insignificant it may seem, then God can do with it, and with us, what is beyond our reckoning.

In other words, there is joy and freedom in giving literally to God and to neighbor with gratitude and love. For giving all from the heart is what fulfills the human heart.

Let us pray: Lord, all that I have is Yours. Take my life, my possession, my time and all that I have and all that I am, and use them as You desire, for Your greater glory. Amen.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.


Ad Jesum per Mariam!