Sunday November 7, 2021 - Thirty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time - Blessed are the poor in heart, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12, 38-44

Dear Christians, we are on the threshold of completing a liturgical cycle, we have about two weeks left before starting another. From this Gospel, let us raise two points of reflection, addressed then to the contemporaries of Jesus, but no less topical for us.

First, the Gospel invites us to be cautious in the conduct of our life of faith. Jesus speaks here of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the scribes and some Jews whose outward conduct is not in line with what they claim to believe. However, what matters to God is what is deep inside. The Gospel invites us to make the effort to be authentic before God: that our actions reflect our thoughts and vice versa. Also, let us avoid routine prayers without soul or intention and that the gestures and rituals supposed to express faith are not simple habits or conformist mimicry that do not affect our being. The faith that we proclaim and practice must express the love of God, not flatter our self-esteem.

Always in this perspective of authenticity before God. It is Sunday, the offerings are part of the rite of the Church. What state of mind do we have in making these offerings? We are talking here about the money that we put in the treasure room, but this extends to everything we offer to God and to the Church: our time, our efforts, our wealth. Jesus takes as an example those who throw away their remains and the one who puts down all her means of subsistence. It is therefore up to us to ask ourselves: "Have I given up what I have no use for or have I placed before God what is essential to me?"