GAINING IN AUTHENTIC GIVING
“It’s the thought that counts!” We have heard this many times.
In
the Gospel scene, we see rich people dropping large sums into the
treasury. But Jesus noted that they were giving out of their surplus.
They can afford well their contributions even though they are relatively
big. Some may argue that the large sum would go a long way in helping
the temple. But it is not just about what it could do but what the
attitude of the donor is. Besides, not much effort and sacrifice are
invested in the giving.
On
the other hand, the poor widow who gave two small coins amounting to a
few cents, gave from her poverty — all she had and her whole livelihood!
In the eyes of Jesus, she gave more. It was a great sacrifice for her.
She was more concerned about the welfare and support of the temple which
she serves. Therefore, what counts before the Lord is not the amount
but the heart you put into what you give.
When
we were constructing the burnt parish church of St. Alphonsus Mary De
Liguori parish in Magallanes, I came to know about a household help who
committed to donate P500 a month for 10 months. I was a bit surprised
because her kind does not receive so big a salary (only about P3,000 per
month). So, I called her to ask about her generosity. She said, “Maliit
po yun kumpara sa grasyang makukuha ko bilang kaparte ng pagpapagawa ng
isang simbahan, kung saan maraming mabibinyagan, ikakasal, magsisimba
at magkukumpisal. Marami pong maliligtas kapag nagawa na po yung
simbahan.”(My
donation is really not that big compared to the benefit we would
receive once the church had been constructed. Many will be baptized,
married, converted and saved.)
She
sees the benefit of her giving more than what she would give up. Giving
for her is not a loss but an opportunity to help and save others. She
may have given much less compared to other donors, but she gave a lot of
heart and goodness together with her relatively few hundreds. But we
know that as far as God is concerned, she gave more! Fr. Benny Tuazon
REFLECTION QUESTION: When you give, what thoughts go with your giving?
Lord
Jesus, teach me to give with a generous heart, unmindful of what I am
giving up and more concerned with the benefits of my giving.
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