My eldest brother came to borrow money for a household need. I could have easily declined as my cash was barely enough to cover for my family’s necessities. My children were in high school and college, and I only had one source of income. But I immediately removed my earrings, handed them to my brother, and told him to pawn them. 

Years later, my children asked, “Why did you give him your earrings to pawn?” I explained that I didn’t have cash then, but I had something that could help his needs. Knowing my brother, I’m sure he tried everything before coming to me, since he also knew our situation. 

To this day, I’ve carried that perspective in my heart. I’m not rich, but it’s not difficult for me to part with my money to help others in need.Rosalie De Silva (saliedesilva.fba@gmail.com)

Reflect:

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13, NLT)

Dear Jesus, thank You for giving me all that I need. Grant me the grace to willingly give up my wants for the needs of others. Amen. 

St. Leo the Great, pope and Doctor of the Church, pray for us.

First Reading | 1 Kings 17:10-16 

It is interesting to note that obedience to God’s prophet when he speaks in His name is the same as obedience to God. Thus, when the widow obeys Elijah’s request, she finds that she is rewarded with a perpetual food source for herself and her son. Likewise, we can expect that God cares for us when we are obedient to His Word. God will never be outdone in generosity. This is a blessing to us who are always in need of help from Him. Let us pray that we will be known for our generosity to God and to others.

¹⁰ In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.” ¹¹ She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” ¹² She answered, “As the Lord, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. 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.” ¹³ Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” ¹⁵ She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; ¹⁶ The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the Lord had foretold through Elijah. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R: Praise the Lord, my soul!

⁷ The Lord keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives good to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. (R) ⁸ The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those that were bowed down. The Lord loves the just; ⁹ The Lord protects strangers. ^(R) The fatherless and the widow he sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. ¹⁰ The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. (R)

Second Reading | Hebrews 9:24-28

The death of Christ has done away with the repeated sacrifices in the temple. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist, we have a memorial sacrifice, a remembering of and making present Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Here, we recall the meaning of His sacrifice and pray that it will be made more effective in our lives. Let us pray for the grace to live in the victory of His cross and resurrection.

²⁴ Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. ²⁵ Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; ²⁶ if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. ²⁷ Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, ²⁸ so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him. 

Gospel | Mark 12:38-44 (or Mark 12:41-44)

Generosity is a matter of the heart. It has nothing to do with the amount a person may or may not give. God sees our hearts when we give and knows the motivation behind our giving. Let us always be grateful for all that God has given us and be willing to share everything we have with others as our witness to the Gospel of love.

Gospel Acclamation

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

³⁸ 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, 39 seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” 41 He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 43 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. 44 For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

Reflect:

Have you given your "two coins"—your all—to God? How?

Read the Bible in one year! Read ZECHARIAH 5 - 8 today.

All Mine to Give, Nothing to Leave

Jesus was in the treasury with His disciples, observing closely the crowd as they gave offerings. He noted that the rich people were giving their surplus wealth. He pointed to His disciples a widow who offered out of her poverty, giving all her livelihood. The poor widow gave much less, but for Jesus, she gave more than all the contributors combined. Jesus wanted to stress that offering to God is measured not by the amount given but by the intentions and the heart that go with it. 

Jesus did not mean to say that the contributions of the rich do not matter. They serve their purpose. But giving out of surplus does not affect much the giver. What the poor widow did was extraordinary. In making an offering to God, we must involve ourselves. No matter how big or small our offering, our whole soul, heart, mind, and strength must go with it.

Why offer with that attitude? It is a sign of dependence and trust in God. The rich, while having offered something, still retained a lot on which they will depend in the future. The widow, by contributing her whole livelihood, expressed full confidence in God’s providence. This is a hard teaching. As human beings, we tend to rely on our wealth, power, fame, and intelligence. We forget or set aside God when we have them. Thus, even if we have so much of them, we can maintain an attitude of poverty, i.e., constant faith in God.

In the Beatitudes, blessedness is not in being hungry, thirsty, or poor in spirit. God is not sadistic. Blessedness is being in those and other difficult situations because of faith in God—“because of Me” (Matthew 5:11). Blessedness can also be for the rich, happy, satisfied, famous, powerful, etc., when they are in those situations because of love and faith in Jesus. We should always do everything in faith. Never without it.

St. Ignatius of Loyola caught the essence of Jesus’ teaching in his prayer: “Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will, all that I have and all that I possess. You gave it all to me, Lord. I give it all back to You. Do with it as You will, according to Your good pleasure. Give me Your love and Your grace; for with this I have all that I need.” Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:

When was the last time you made an offering? What went with that act?

Lord, whatever I have, I give it all back to You. Amen.

Today, i pray for: ______________________________