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by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada
"I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all others who are making contributions." (Mark 12:43)
Do you want to get the blessings and joy of being
a generous giver?
Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." To give is an innate
nature of this universe. God gave himself on the Cross so that we could have an
eternal life. A mother gives her time, energy and sometimes, even sacrifices
herself for her children. Like a candle, we should burn and melt to give light
to others.
Giving does not mean that we give only from our abundance. We can also do it in
poverty. There is nothing stopping us from giving to others. The contribution of
a single penny by a poor man is more blessed than a billion dollars from a
billionaire. When you count the offertory money, don't forget to count the
pennies as these signify the sacrifices and the heart of a giver. Let us count
each of our blessings and be thankful to the Giver. Let us not waste anything,
not even a piece of bread. Let us make use of what we have judiciously and share
it with others – money, knowledge, happiness, time etc. May you be blessed for
your generosity.
A leper had rung the door bell of Mother Teresa's house. In Mother's own words,
"It was a leper shivering with cold. I asked him whether he needed anything from
me. I wanted to offer food and a blanket to protect him from the bitter cold
night. He replied in the negative. He showed me his begging bowl. He told me in
Bengali: 'Mother, people were talking that you had received some prize. This
morning I decided that whatever I got through begging today, I would hand over
to you this evening. That is why I am here.' I found in the begging bowl 75
paise (2 pennies). The gift was small. I keep it even today on my table because
this tiny gift reveals to me the largeness of a human heart. It is beautiful."
We are poor because we don't give. We don't give because either we are greedy or
we think that it makes a dent on our resources. This is not true; in reality,
the more we give, the more we get.
Jesus, let the poor be blessed with all the
necessities of life. We pray for a world sans poverty. Let the rich have a heart
of giving without any reservations and bless their generosity. We ask this in
the name of Jesus.
Amen.
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