Good News Reflection Monday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time November 25, 2013 Today’s Readings: Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20 Daniel 3:52-56 Luke 21:1-4 usccb.org/bible/readings/112513.cfm USCCB Podcast of the Readings: ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/13_11_25.mp3 Todays Gospel Meditation taken from GOOD NEWS by Terry Modica The widows mighty sacrifice / Putting our faith into social justice Todays Gospel reading challenges us to examine how generously we help the ministries of the Church by contributing financially to the treasury of the Church. When our income isnt enough to pay for everything that we wish we could buy for ourselves, the widows mighty sacrifice is not pleasing to look at. We can appreciate why Jesus praised the widow, but its hard to feel safe and secure with the idea of offering our whole livelihood. Gods not really saying that you and I should turn over our entire paychecks to the church. Elsewhere in scripture he makes it clear that he asks for just ten percent of it. Just ten percent? Even that seems like way too much, doesnt it! And thus we cause others to suffer. Our parishes and Good News Ministries and other charities dont have enough financial resources to do all the ministering that could be done and needs to be done. Perhaps the widow whom Jesus praised felt free to share the little she had because, in her poverty, her eyes were not set on making big purchases. In large part, todays traumatic economic recession is rooted not just in corporate greed but also in the accumulation of a lot of individual debts that never should have been considered, and from depending on two incomes in one household for the sake of buying more and then one job is lost due to lay-offs, and from similar must have more decisions. How many families have been foreclosed out of houses that were larger and more expensive than necessary? This lifestyle of overspending is part of a culture that sinfully neglects the needs of the poor. Its time that we take seriously the Churchs teachings on social justice! We need to become more like Christ, oriented toward making sacrifices for the sake of others. Too many Christians have focused on protecting a cushy, comfortable, and even greedy lifestyle for way too long. Can we adopt the same attitude as the widow whom Jesus praised? She made an offering that wasnt easy. In so doing, she sacrificed not only coins but her very self. If a gift we give or a good deed we do is easy and comfortable, its not a sacrifice. Most of us donate from our surplus and think thats a sacrifice! This is why your parish and other charitable organizations (including Good News Ministries) cannot help all those who would benefit from their services. And (some readers will find this unbelievable until they honestly look into the facts) its the reason why climate change is occurring – our personal comforts are indeed interfering with the Earths natural processes, and this is already devastating the lives of many who are poor and vulnerable. (Please take a moment to read my blog post Communal Denial Endangers the Future at catholicdr.blogspot/2011/10/communal-denial-endangers-future.html.) Lets put our faith into action. What happened to the widow after she went home? Did she starve? Wait a minute. Do we believe that God would praise her for making such a huge act of love and then crush her as if her good deed had been foolish? I know from personal experience how scary this level of trust can be and how faith-building it can be. Join me in the spiritual growth that comes from placing sacrificial trust in Gods goodness! Please remember the needs and staff of Good News Ministries. Visit gnm.org/support to partner with us in spreading Christs love throughout the world. If you cannot donate money, please donate a sacrifice of time spent in prayer for the staff and all those we serve.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 14:06:31 +0000