Monday 23rd November 2020 - 34th week of Ordinary Time - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 21, 1-4 - Be watchful, be ready: it is at the hour when you do not think of it that the Son of Man will come.

Often the way we human beings perceive, distorts our understanding. Wealthy people who seem to give a lot when all they leave behind are their remains, we consider that they have done a lot. But the poor widow who has left all that she has, though little, we say of her, that she has not done much, and often her contribution is minimised. It is a fact in society that the poor, the destitute, are neglected, so that no one deigns to consider their efforts. But Jesus' point of view is different, for Him it was this poor widow who did the most, because she abandoned everything she owned to God. In the eyes of God, therefore, the importance of the offering does not depend on the quantity but on the sincerity of the one who offers. This widow gave her whole life to God.

The offering we make is only a symbol of our devotion to God. What is important to Him is our total surrender. It is our whole being, our whole life that He wants as an offering, all of it and not a part or only the remains. It can be tempting for us not to go to church unless we are not busy. Sunday is the day to meet God in church, but here we always find other occupations, and going to church is no longer a priority. God wants us to meet Him in church. He wants us, in person, to serve our neighbours, to pay with our person and to do good. We are then judged by the total, unspoiled love that we show to Him and our neighbours. In the eyes of God, we are all poor. We therefore need God's love, God's mercy. He is rich in graces, so He can lavish them on us in abundance. Amen!