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.” (Luke 21:1-4 NABRE)
The widow is an example of the poor ones in Luke's gospel whose detachment from material possessions and dependence on God leads to their blessedness.*
Living in a country of abundance, we face a double challenge: To detach our hearts from money, and at the same time to depend on God for what we need. How grateful we should be when we can give from our surplus!
Our attitude toward money, more than anything else, is what makes the difference. When we are afraid of poverty, or even of falling behind on our bills, we let fear, rather than trust, rule in our hearts. When we desire more money, despite all our needs having already been met, we let greed, rather than gratefulness, rule in our hearts.
Lord Jesus, by your Spirit, allow me to be fully detached from material possessions and fully dependent on God for all I need. Heal my heart, Lord, and replace all fear with trust, replace all greed with gratitude. Keep me always mindful that you own everything, I am a mere steward of what is yours.
Today, I will trust God for all I need and I will be grateful for all he provides.
Blessed Miguel AgustÃn Pro, martyred in Mexico on November 23, 1927, pray for us.
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