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Gospel: Luke 21: 1-4
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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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While studying for the priesthood, I spent a summer in El Salvador learning Spanish. I spent half of my time living in an orphanage, and the other half living with a young priest who was responsible for ninety different parish communities!
I was stunned to learn that some Catholics in Central America are only able to see a priest once a year because of the number of priests and the territory they must cover.
When the priest arrives, the entire community comes out to celebrate.
I remember journeying to one small village, in particular, out in the middle of nowhere called El Havviyal. Every home there consisted of a single room made of mud, cement and sticks.
When we arrived, the community leader welcomed us into her home where she put out a very large spread. It must’ve taken her days to prepare all of the food.
This was a real sacrifice for her and her family… because they were feeding us, they probably didn’t eat that day. Or even the day before.
Like the widow in today’s Gospel, from their poverty, these villagers gave everything they had.
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Why is it that the poor tend to be the most generous?
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In my experience, so many of them take nothing for granted. There’s a strong sense of empathy and solidarity that grows out of suffering.
Those villagers knew what an empty stomach felt like, which is why they wanted mine to be full.
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I wonder, what would it look like for us to have that same type of generosity – to give until it hurts? To pray until it hurts? To volunteer, to serve, or to forgive until it hurts?
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As we enter this holiday season, may we live like the poor in some way, giving until it hurts. Then we can say with Jesus and the poor of the earth, we’ve given all we have.
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Image credits: (1) Personal (2) Compassion International (3) Pinterest