Generosity from God
Gospel Reflection
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."
He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
Can you give your life for the Lord?
My dear brothers and sisters today is the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time and our readings invite us to be generous with full faith that God will provide us with all of our needs.
This is what happened in our first reading from the first book of Kings, when Elijah requested for a small piece of bread from a poor widow, who only had a handful of flour and a little oil to make bread for their very last meal. At that time there was famine in the land because there has been no rain for a very long time.
"Do not be afraid," Elijah said. And trusting in the Lord, the Phoenician woman (take note she was not Jew not part of the chosen race) did what Elijah told her to do and her generosity and faith rewarded her with an overflowing jar of flour and a bottomless jug of oil, and they never went hungry during the time. But just imagine the state that they were in at the time, when she told Elijah:
"Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die."
The desperation in her voice, just like so many of us.
The difficulty and the desperation caused by the pandemic is all too real for us. This is a famine, not just of food, but we have also seen a famine in morals especially among our leaders who have the audacity to fool us in saying that they just magically found a luxury car in their garage, and yes, if we allow them to win this coming elections, well, where is our morals? Obviously, their heart is not on serving the people, but their interest is on fattening their pockets even if it means stealing from poor people, from us, ordinary people. Would we allow this?
We are facing a famine in mental health, as we desperately face the unknown with so much anxiety, as many continue to be without jobs, and although with the loosened restrictions, apparently the virus has not stopped spreading and, if we don't follow safety protocols like physical distancing and the wearing of masks when outside, we might see the virus enjoying their Christmas. Worries, anxieties, uncertainty has caused so much anger, so much enmity among each other.
So how are we to survive this famine?
Christ asked us to have faith in Him, to trust Him for he will take care of us. He asks us to give what we have to those who are in need, he asks us to take care of each other for He will take care of us. Yes, he will take care of us.
In our second reading we are assured once again of the generosity of the Father through the sacrifice of his Son, that once and for all, our sins would be forgiven and we would be reunited with the Father. There is nothing that we should worry about for he has already saved us, he has offered the last and ultimate sacrifice that conquered death, that would allow us to live for all eternity.
But first we must learn to trust him, we must have faith in Him.
We must believe that "the Lord keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry; the Lord sets captives free; the Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down; the Lord loves the just; the Lord protects strangers." Meaning, the Lord will provide us with whatever it is that we need.
In our Gospel reading, Christ pointed out how a poor widow gave more with her two small coins than the rich people who gave large sums to the treasury. Why?
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.
It is not how much you give, but it is in our attitude of giving, in the trust that we put in giving, in the generosity that comes from our faith of God's overflowing love for us and so he will provide us with whatever it is that we need.
My dear brothers and sisters today is the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time and our readings invite us to be generous with full faith that God will provide us with all of our needs.
This is what happened in our first reading from the first book of Kings, when Elijah requested for a small piece of bread from a poor widow, who only had a handful of flour and a little oil to make bread for their very last meal. At that time there was famine in the land because there has been no rain for a very long time.
"Do not be afraid," Elijah said. And trusting in the Lord, the Phoenician woman (take note she was not Jew not part of the chosen race) did what Elijah told her to do and her generosity and faith rewarded her with an overflowing jar of flour and a bottomless jug of oil, and they never went hungry during the time. But just imagine the state that they were in at the time, when she told Elijah:
"Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die."
The desperation in her voice, just like so many of us.
The difficulty and the desperation caused by the pandemic is all too real for us. This is a famine, not just of food, but we have also seen a famine in morals especially among our leaders who have the audacity to fool us in saying that they just magically found a luxury car in their garage, and yes, if we allow them to win this coming elections, well, where is our morals? Obviously, their heart is not on serving the people, but their interest is on fattening their pockets even if it means stealing from poor people, from us, ordinary people. Would we allow this?
We are facing a famine in mental health, as we desperately face the unknown with so much anxiety, as many continue to be without jobs, and although with the loosened restrictions, apparently the virus has not stopped spreading and, if we don't follow safety protocols like physical distancing and the wearing of masks when outside, we might see the virus enjoying their Christmas. Worries, anxieties, uncertainty has caused so much anger, so much enmity among each other.
So how are we to survive this famine?
Christ asked us to have faith in Him, to trust Him for he will take care of us. He asks us to give what we have to those who are in need, he asks us to take care of each other for He will take care of us. Yes, he will take care of us.
In our second reading we are assured once again of the generosity of the Father through the sacrifice of his Son, that once and for all, our sins would be forgiven and we would be reunited with the Father. There is nothing that we should worry about for he has already saved us, he has offered the last and ultimate sacrifice that conquered death, that would allow us to live for all eternity.
But first we must learn to trust him, we must have faith in Him.
We must believe that "the Lord keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry; the Lord sets captives free; the Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down; the Lord loves the just; the Lord protects strangers." Meaning, the Lord will provide us with whatever it is that we need.
In our Gospel reading, Christ pointed out how a poor widow gave more with her two small coins than the rich people who gave large sums to the treasury. Why?
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.
It is not how much you give, but it is in our attitude of giving, in the trust that we put in giving, in the generosity that comes from our faith of God's overflowing love for us and so he will provide us with whatever it is that we need.
Are we able to give all that we are for Christ, just as he was able to give all of himself for us? For our salvation?
Let us ask God that our faith in his goodness for us would be strengthened, allowing us to be generous, to give, to share the little that we have, and this despite the fear and anxiety that we are experiencing because of the pandemic.
Let us ask God that our faith in his goodness for us would be strengthened, allowing us to be generous, to give, to share the little that we have, and this despite the fear and anxiety that we are experiencing because of the pandemic.
Art: Gene D. Austin
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