YEAR B: 23RD SUNDAY HOMILY IN ORDINARY TIME
YEAR B: 23RD SUNDAY HOMILY IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: “The widow put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on”
BY: Fr Cyril Unachukwu CCE
1 Kg 17:10-16, Heb 9 : 24 – 28, Mk 12:38-44
Giving is an act of faith; especially when the disposition to give is inspired by the Gospel and by a deep relationship with God. At such moments, one gives not because one wants to show-off, nor because one wants to appease any creature. Rather, one gives because one has come to recognise that everything we have is a gift from God and that whatever we are, we also received from God. At such points, giving becomes a sign of gratitude to God and an expression of trust in the infinitude of His providence. May our gifts find favour in Your sight and may they restore us to glory; Amen.
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The First Reading (I kings 17:10-16) and the Gospel Reading (Mark 12:38-44) present us with the story and special encounter of two widows who lived centuries apart, but who were motivated to perform similar acts to the greater glory of God and for their respective salvation. The First widow baked her last flour and shared with the prophet Elijah “a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug”, trusting without reservation that words of the prophet will come true in her particular situation. The second widow in the temple, before the observant eyes of Christ, “put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on” into the treasury. One unique thing about these two widows is the solidity of their faith in God. Their action may seem very irrational and illogical in the eyes of many. But we must also know that with the power of faith in God at work in us, God upturns human rationality and logicality, making us conscious of their limits. It was this power that brought to fulfilment the Word of God in the life of the widow in the First Reading; “the jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied.” It was also this power that approved the offering of the widow in the Gospel, emphasising the quality of her offering over those of the others whose offerings were rationally and logically higher in quantity; “this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury.” Offering our gifts to God is one thing. The motive for which we bring those gifts is another thing. It is not enough to claim that we have offered gifts to God. It is much more important that the gifts we offer God are motivated by our faith in Him. The inner disposition of our heart is what qualifies our gifts to God irrespective of their quantity. The same inner disposition brings us to receive the merits of the sacrifices we made in presenting such gifts to God. The same inner disposition transforms our gifts into raw materials for God’s miracle of multiplication.
These two widows are presented to us as models of generosity (i.e. of Christian giving), of trust in God’s providence and of dedication to the things of God. The truth remains that we cannot give from a Christian perspective if we lack trust in God’s providence and if we are not dedicated to the things of God. This is where the thin line that exists between philanthropy and charity is located. This is also the distinguishing mark between self aggrandisement and seed-sowing in faith. There are various occasions or purposes for which one gives; too numerous to be numbered. The underlying principle is that one gives, motivated by his or her faith in God and for the glorification of God in the respective occasions or purposes. In fact, every form of giving or offering receives ultimate efficacy and validity from the highest form of giving/offering which Christ made of Himself on the Cross of Calvary, through which “He has done away with sin by sacrificing Himself” (Hebrews 9:24-28). The offering of Christ is the absolute Model for every Christian act of offering or giving. To be salvific, it is indispensable to unite our various offerings/gifts to the self offering/giving of Christ. Such offering/giving excludes every form of pomposity because it is by nature humbling. It excludes every form of selfishness because it is by nature selfless. It excludes every form of deceit or hypocrisy because it is by nature immaculate and sincere. It excludes every form of self-praise because by nature it leads to the glorification and true worship of God. Such offering or gift is never induced by various humanly calculated tactics or manipulation of the minds of gullible believers through unethical oratory and unheavenly prophecies. Rather, such offering or gift is borne out of faith in God and trust in divine providence.
Lord God, may we always be conscious that everything we have is a gift from You and that we received our very existence from You. May we steadily be grateful for all of these gifts and may we learn to give for the good of others and to the greater of Your name; Amen. Happy Sunday
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