When it comes to receiving gifts, perhaps you have heard the saying, “It’s the thought that counts.” Yet do you ever find yourself judging a gift by some different criteria such as its size or cost? Instead of being grateful for the giver’s thoughtfulness, we become resentful because the gift we received wasn’t what we wanted or expected.
Judging by such human standards, the widow’s meager gift of two small coins wasn’t much yet according to Jesus, hers was the greatest gift given in the temple that day. What makes her gift so noteworthy wasn’t its value, but the sacrifice involved. Unlike the rich people who put in large sums, which they could easily afford, this widow gave all that she had and that impressed Jesus.
We are missing a valuable lesson here if we see this only as a pep talk on charity. Granted, Jesus is moved by the total generosity of the widow who, despite her poverty, gave all that she had. However, the thought that comes to mind isn’t how generous we are or ought to be in our giving. Rather, how grateful are we for the gifts we have received, especially gifts that Jesus has given us? And what might those gifts be, you wonder? For starters, there is the gift of himself that comes to us in the Eucharist, but lets not overlook the gift of his teachings for building up the kingdom in our midst that we find in the gospels and the Catechism of the Church.
By giving what little she had, the widow placed herself in God’s hands for her well-being. By believing and fully accepting the Good News of God’s love, she could abandon herself into God’s hands. That total surrender expressed well her appreciation of what God has given her.
We have heard the Good News and we have the opportunity to receive the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist because Jesus totally gave himself to us. Consciously or unconsciously we share with others our reaction to Jesus and his Good News. When God is important to us, we convey that importance to others by our words, actions and values, and we choose to live in response to what Jesus has taught us rather than what our peers might value instead.
If we expect others to believe in us and in what we believe, than our lives must be an example of God’s call to holiness. Jesus censors the scribes for putting of airs, walking around with their prayer shawls, pretending to be holy, when in fact, their service to God was a farce for they were really seeking a profit for themselves. How we respond to Jesus’ gift of the Good News impacts our ultimate destiny. As the letter to the Hebrews notes, Christ will appear a second time to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
How readily do we appreciate what Jesus is endeavoring to give us through his many teachings? He repeatedly urges us to live the truly Christian life, wherein we abandon our selfishness and fears by totally accepting what he is offering, just as the widow did. Whenever we selectively discard some of his gifts, that is, some of his teachings, we can no longer appreciate the full beauty of what he is giving us.
I am reminded of a conversation that took place between two friends as they toured a famous art museum. After looking around for a while and becoming bored, one friend expressed his dismay by telling his companion, “I don’t think much of these old paintings!” His companion quietly replied, “I would remind you that these paintings are no longer on trial but those who look at them are.” By our reactions to the many gifts Christ has given us, especially the gift of his wisdom, we ultimately pass judgment on ourselves.
Recently, one couple admonished me not to talk politics from the pulpit. Perhaps you agree with them. I don’t see myself talking politics. I never talk about candidates and rarely about initiatives unless the bishops ask me to. I see a distinction between politics and being political. To me politics refers to actual governance while being political is the means for speaking up for the well being of peoples and challenging those who govern when needed. Jesus was political and many Church leaders have followed his example including Pope John Paul II, Pope Paul VI, and Archbishop Oscar Romero; all have been canonized, which suggest to me that being political for the right reasons leads people to holiness and closer to God.
Jesus never condemns the rich but he cautions that they will find it difficult to enter the kingdom. What matters is not how much money we store in bank accounts or keep in stocks and bonds, but rather for what that money is destined. Will the money be used to assist others, to make the world a better place? Will it be used to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide for the homeless and the poor? Will it be used to promote a culture of life? Do our lives revolve around money or are we dependent on God who truly makes us rich, as did the widow? Would independence or dependence characterize your life and values?
Pope Francis asserts, “An authentic faith involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it. We love this magnificent planet on which God has put us; and we love the human family, which dwells here, with all its tragedies and struggles, its hopes and aspirations, its strengths and weaknesses. If indeed the just ordering of society and of the state is a central responsibility of politics, the Church cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.”