The Catholic Calendar for Monday, November 21, 2005
The Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
Luke 21:1-4

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Today's Gospel invites us to consider how Jesus views generosity. Some seem to be very generous in that they give an very much and others, by comparison very little. Jesus points out that it is not just how much we give, but the orientation of our hearts; that is, how much of what we have are we willing to share.

The story tells us that the rich, indeed, gave a lot, whereas the poor widow gave little, probably all that she had or more than she could afford. Jesus points out for us that in spite of appearances the widow gave more, in that she gave all she had. That is not to say that the rich were not generous, but not as generous.

Jesus always has us look at our behaviors and the attitudes that drive them. What is my attitude toward sharing; how do I respond? The question is personal as is the responsibility to act in accordance with God's will and in imitation of His Son, Who, like the widow gave all that He had.

Growing in generosity requires God's grace and a willingness to account the things of this world as God would have us do. It is a process that leads us away from valuing possessions for their own sake to valuing them them for the assistance they can be for the sake of others.

A favorite restaurant in our area in the wake of the recent natural disasters had a helpful note on their marquee. It said: "Give till it helps."

O Lord,
may we be found pleasing in Your sight
and our willingness to help,
a mirror of Your own love for us.

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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