Cycle B - Year II:  

11 November 2018: Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        1 Kings 17:10-16

Second Reading:   Hebrews 9:24-28

Gospel:  Please Read  Mark 12:38-44

Giving from the heart......

What is the value of a twenty peso bill.... in the hands of a beggar and in the wallet of a rich man?  Can you spot the difference?

We can say that the intrinsic value of the twenty peso bill does not change. But perhaps it is a whole livelihood for the beggar, but for the rich man it is just a "drop from the bucket" of his wealth.

So then, the twenty peso bill may change its value depending on one's need and status in life.

The Gospel incident this Sunday is about a poor widow and rich people as they give their contribution to the public treasury. Who among them is the more generous?

Our Lord Jesus is observing how the crowd put money into the treasury, and He notices a poor widow as she enters the temple of Jerusalem and makes a meager offering of two small coins. Now Jesus contrasts her gift with that of some wealthy people who offer greater sums. And to the surprise of all, Jesus proclaims that the widow gave more than the others. Because according to our Lord she gave "all that she had, her whole livelihood."   

Now 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.

Remember the beatitudes "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 5:3)? It is not our coin, but our hearts that open those gates of heaven.

When we give to God let us give from the wellspring of our hearts no matter how small so long as it is from our hearts. Let us do the same when we give to our fellowmen, especially the poor.

And God's love looks very much like this. Our Lord Jesus 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. 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 sum, 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.

So 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!