Lord Jesus, |
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Do you give from your surplus of your store? Another way to ask this is, do you offer your leftovers or the food you obtained for your main meal? In today’s Gospel (Mk 12:38-44), the widow in Jesus’ example contributed “her whole livelihood”, everything that she had. Even though her offering was financially less than that offered by the rich contributors, because she gave her livelihood and not her surplus, she offered more than the rest. Her offering is an example of sacrificial giving, giving the total gift of self out of love for another or in response to another’s need.
She has that in common with the widow of Zerepath in today’s first reading (1Kings 17:10-16). When asked to make a little cake for a guest, rather than use the last flour and water she had for her son and herself only, she is willing to give what she had planned for their main meal, their last meal. No leftovers here. What happens? She had enough for her, her son and her guest for a year! God blessed her willingness to give sacrificially out of love for the stranger, in response to the need of a traveller in a nomadic land, where travellers were dependent upon the kindness of strangers.
Do we practice sacrificial giving or surplus giving? An illustration can be given from the life of Jim, a Dominican missionary. He was in El Salvador in 1989 when the Jesuits, their housekeeper and her daughter were martyred. Jim was pastor to a parish that was built on a garbage dump. The parish served all who came, whether they were leftist or rightist, pro-government or anti-government, part of the system or part of the revolution. Parish members gave people Bibles and helped them reflect on the Gospel in ways that invited a change of life , so as to live the Gospel more clearly. The community also operated a clinic that served all who came, regardless of politics or religious conviction. These two activities made them subversive in the eyes of the military. As the pastor, Jim’s name appeared on the death list.
So Jim went to his people and asked: “What will help you more ? Would it be more helpful for me to stay here and die for you? Or would it be more helpful for me to go back to the States and let people know what’s really happening here”. The community discussed and prayed. They finally said, “Go back and let people know what's really happening and put pressure on your government to stop supporting ours until it really helps the poor and cares for all our citizens”. He was willing to give his all, either in death or in the risk of being caught. He gave from his store, giving his all not counting the cost, out of love for his people. He still witnesses to justice and peace today.
Sacrificial giving is what the gospel asks of us. Jesus, who offered his life once for all of us, empower us to give of our store, like the widow in the Gospel and the very food we have obtained for our meal, like the widow of Zerepath. May these examples of sacrificial giving help us affirm where we already give sacrificially or move us to change our ways of giving and living.
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