Give Your All
A
parish priest was trying to encourage his congregation to give out
donations for their church renovation project. As the collection bag was
being passed around, he made a passionate speech. “My dearly beloved,
remember, God will not look at what you will put in the bag. He will
look at what is left in your wallets.”
Jesus
in today’s Gospel gave a tribute to the poor widow’s temple
contribution: “I want you to observe that this poor widow contributed
more than all the others who donated to the treasury. They gave from
their surplus wealth, but she gave from her want, all she had to live
on.”
All she had to live on. Yes, God demands that we give our all.
The
word “all” seems to be a favorite of the Lord. In His other teachings
in the Gospel, Jesus encouraged us to love God with all our hearts, all
our soul and all our strength. However, I believe we should not
understand “all” in a mathematical way. “All” should be understood not
in the sense of arithmetic quantity but proportionate quality.
For
example, I don’t believe God expects us to literally empty our wallets
every time the collection bag is passed before us. I’m sure God knows
that families need to set something aside for food on the table. But
“all” does mean that I don’t give loose change in church while I splurge
for something like vanity items and recreation.
Worshiping
God with “all my heart” does not mean I spend 24 hours of my day in
church, forgetting all my other responsibilities. But it does mean that
church should be a priority in my activities for the day. It does mean
that I put off my cell phone during Mass to block off potential
distractions. It does mean I dispose myself well and consecrate that
time for God.
Give your “all” to God, always. And measure your “all” not with a calculator but with your heart. Fr. Joel Jason
REFLECTION QUESTION: When
you give, does it “hurt” you in a certain sense? If not, you may have
just disposed of something you didn’t need or want after all.
Lord Jesus, place before me always the true measure of giving — giving without measure. Amen.
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