32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Trust in God results Generosity
WidowIn biblical times widows were among the poorest of the poor. A woman without a husband, in the ancient world was one who had lost everything - no source of livelihood; no money; no security; no social status; no future.
In the bible a widow stood as an example of powerlessness.
Today we heard from the First Reading and the Gospel Reading two powerless women. They were both in poor situation, yet they were both so generous because they entrusted everything to God.
The widow in the First Reading from the Book of Kings had a son who was totally dependent on her. She was down to her last handful of meal: a flour and little drop of oil. After that she and her child will starve.
Yet, she generously shared their last remaining food to Prophet Elijah, in return to her goodness God blessed her with a never-ending supply of food more than what she and son needed. Amazingly, it was in giving that she gained so much.
A widow's trusting & generous heart
In the Gospel, Jesus praises the widow’s dependence on God for giving all she had. Jesus is so thrilled that he calls his disciples onto the stage and teaches them the immensely important truth: ...this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury. She contributed more than the others, because while they gave from their surplus of wealth, she contributed all she had.
The few coins she placed in the treasury box - represent her very self, an expression of high level of sacrifice and generosity which some wealthy people were unprepared to give. She lets go of every shred of security, and committed herself wholly to God. Hence, the story is as much about trust in God as about generosity.
Message
We shall see in the bible widows also represent those poor people who despite their poverty, helplessness and oppression, place all their trust in God.
We wonder what is the source of their generosity? The answer is their generosity results from their total trust in God. Their generosity results from a deep trust that God will provide. They gave cheerfully without complaining. They gave cheerfully without sight and saying; Now I am left with nothing. They gave quietly and cheerfully.
People can be very generous to the Church. Some give money, a great deal of money. Others give their hands, their strength, their time, their energy and their loyalty. The Lord’s emphasis is not on quantity but quality. Jesus looks not on the amount of what we give but on the depth, honesty and sincerity of our hearts when we are giving.
Story of Chicken and Pig
I remember one of Aesop's fable's abut the story of chicken and a pig.
One day the chicken said to the pig, 'Hey, I've got a brilliant idea. The two of us should go into a business partnership.' 'Great,' said the pig, 'but what sort of business?' 'Oh, I don't know ... how about maybe we could try the bacon and egg business?' 'Well, that seems like a good idea, let me think about that,' said the pig. After a few moments the pig said, 'Wait a minute, though - it's okay for you to produce eggs, but for me to produce bacon I'd have to give up my life.'
There is big difference between involvement and commitment. The chicken might be involved in the partnership by laying eggs, but the pig would be somewhat has to commit his life to produce a bacon, he has to give his all. Commitment is giving your all, and it can be painfully demanding, but the reward is overwhelming!
Self-Giving
Giving is at the heart of our Christian religion. The Gospel of John says, For God so love the world that He gave us His only Son (Jn 3:16). The Second Reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Jesus gave to the Father everything He was; He offered his life the sake of others. In the Eucharist our Lord gives us His all, his divinity and his humanity, not He gives us His Body and Blood for our spiritual and physical nourishment; Jesus also gives us as well his generous mercy, love and forgiveness.
We are called to do the same. To follow Jesus is to learn how to give generously. Let us pray that we may generous in giving with utmost sincerity and honestly.
Let us remember it’s not the quantity but the quality that counts.
The amount or size of the gift doesn't matter as much as the cost to the giver. Of course, we are not only talking about material things. Giving is not only about the money we put in the plate. We can live up generosity more than in material things. Such things are when we share our knowledge, our time, talents, love, attention, understanding and forgiveness to others.
Let us give without counting the cost. Because it is possible to give without losing. In fact, the only way of gaining is by giving.
"Lord Jesus, all that I have is yours. Take my life, my possessions, my talents, my time and all that I have. Grant me the grace I need so that I can share them with others for the greater glory of your name. Amen."
No comments:
Post a Comment