Monday 23 November 2020

Today is Monday the 23 November, in the 34 week of Ordinary Time.  

Madison Cunningham with the Porter’s Gate sings, ‘Little Things with Great Love’. As you enter into prayer today, pause for a moment and become aware of the presence of the God of great love.  

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 21: 1-4

He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.’  

Today’s gospel is about generosity and sacrifice.  A prayer attributed to St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, begins: “Lord, teach me to be generous, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost…” What stirs in you as you hear these words?

Jesus points out that the woman in this passage is giving everything she has from the little she has.  To offer everything that I have and all that I am for someone else without counting the cost is extraordinary generosity. It is what Jesus did when he died on the cross. True generosity and service are qualities which often involve some kind of sacrifice. How deep does my generosity go? Do I give from what I find it difficult to part with?

As you listen again, with whom do you identify in this reading? How do you think the woman feels being watched by Jesus and other by-standers as she offers her two small coins? 

Jesus always invites us to a greater love and a greater generosity. Talk to God now about those people and situations where you find it hard to be as generous as you would like. Ask for God’s help and grace to dig a little deeper.    

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.