THE VIRTUE OF GENEROSITY
Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
My dear encountered couples:
Generosity is the theme of today’s gospel. We might find it hard to imagine giving all our money away like the widow in the gospel, but we must be generous people in heart and mind.
Generosity is not to be restricted to giving large tips at a restaurant or expensive Christmas presents. It includes being magnanimous in understanding and forgiveness. To take the time to listen to what others have to say, to respect their right to say it, and to realize there is more than one way to get things done, not just our way.
Generosity includes not only the giving of our things and ourselves to others, but allowing others to give to us. That facet of generosity – receiving – can be harder for some people than giving their last penny to the church or to feed the hungry. I think we need to meditate on this parable Jesus tells us today and discover that he really means much more than emptying our purses and wallets into a poor box.
“When Jesus looked up, he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”.”
Jesus was generous like that. He gave his life.
