HOMILY, SATURDAY OF THE 9TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
2Timothy 4:1-8, Gospel Mark 12:38-44
Essential facts about giving
- It is sacrificial
- A giver gives himself or herself.
- Giving is surrender, using all we have for God’s glory.
It is not how much we give that matters. True giving must cost us something which we value. Oftentimes, we give only what we don’t need. At times, we don’t give as long as we will not get anything in return. Some people do not give unless they would be applauded. Some would prefer to give under camera. Some are afraid to give because, they are not sure of what becomes of them if they do; how they would survive afterward.
We must know that nobody is too poor to give. Real Christians who know the value of giving do not wait to be coerced before they give. The reason why churches devise different strategies of collecting money from the members today is because, our people haven’t learnt the art of throwing themselves into the hands of God. Many a time, our people do not give unless you preach the popular gospel of prosperity to them. They want to hear the gospel which relegates sacrifice to the background; a gospel that cannot hurt them. This is the gospel which asks you to give certain amount of money to receive certain favours from God. God is not a business man. He owns us and all that we have.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.” 2Timothy 4:3-4
Moreover, it is also possible that our people have not been taught the right teaching about giving. Our people probably have not seen the reasons why they must make sacrifice for God. Can it be that they have not been shown the manifest presence of God, or that they have not been led to the realm where they could experience in practical terms the spiritual benefits of sacrifice?
The widow in today’s gospel challenges us to learn how to sacrifice our time, treasure and talent. The saying is true that, “giver never lack.” What we give are stored for us and they create for us systems of access to God’s favour.
“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.”Mark 12:43-44
Dear beloved,let us ask ourselves a beautiful question, “Is there any of our possessions that we cannot give up for God?” If our answer is yes, then, we must be ashamed to stand before the widow in today’s gospel. Therefore, let us dedicate our lives to God. Let us put all our resources at his disposal. He will surely give us the increase in our yields.
PRAYER
Make me generous Lord. Give me your kind of heart that I may give back to you all that you have given me. You are the source of all gifts. Help that the ocean of my blessings will never run dry in Jesus name. Amen.
Amen