Luke 21: 1-4 (Monday, November 26, 2007)

Jesus tells us in today’s gospel that, the widow did not give from her surplus but from all that she has. That is the whole idea of giving. It has to be sacrificial. I use to think that I will begin to give to God when I have had enough and I can spare God some change. I then discovered that God is not a beggar in a street that I spare some change from my excess. I should give to him joyfully even when I do not have much. One of the things I have noticed since I started giving weekly is that, I have not gone lacking because I gave. It reminds me of that bumper sticker “givers never lack.” God is primary every month as I write my budget. I have God’s own percentage that I should give him irrespective of all the expenses I might need to make. Some times it truly hurts when I have to give of the last money in my bank account to Jesus but I keep in mind that giving that hurts truly shows the depth of my love to the person that I am giving. While it may hurt, it must be done out of freedom and not coercion. For as St. Paul tells us, the Lord loves a cheerful giver.

Prayer:
Lord, give us the courage to give without counting the cost.