THE WORD
Dn 1: 1–6.8–20 / Lk 21: 1–4
When he 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.”
IN OTHER WORDS
The usual way we judge the generosity of a person is by the amount he or she gives. The bigger the amount, the more generous is our appreciation of the giver. By today’s usual standard, the offerings of wealthy people are considered more generous than the offering of a poor widow.
However, Jesus shows us another way of looking at giving, which is measured not so much by the amount of the gift as by the spirit behind the gift. The widow gave from her want, from her need. The gratitude of the woman for God was so great that she gave from her very subsistence. For her, an offering to God deserved to be the best and so she offered her whole livelihood.
For Jesus, generosity is measured not by how costly is the gift but by the heart of one who offers it - the sacrifice that is behind the gift even though it might appear meager by worldly standards. Yes, indeed, God’s thoughts and ways are different from ours (Is 55: 8-9).
- Francisco Estepa, SVD (HNU, Tagbilaran, Bohol)
The Word in other words 2015
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
