32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B.

Readings: 1Kg 17:10-16, Heb. 9;24-28, and Mk. 12:41-44.

“We are Called to Imitate God – the One Who Gives Generously.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

1.     The Israelites prior to their settlement in the land of Canaan, were nomads, settling periodically from place to place before and during the Exodus Experience. They came to know Yahweh as the God who protected them as they moved from place to place, the God of the wanderers, the God of the Fathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, eventually as the God of their clan. When they eventually settled among the Canaanites, they wondered on the necessity of Yahweh among them, given that they were a settled people, and many of them were tempted to worship Baal and the Astarte, the god and the goddess of the Canaanites whom they had believed gave them rain, fruits of the land, the gods of fertility.

This is the background to which we meet Elijah, the prophet, in today’s first reading, who killed the prophets of Baal and cursed the land, not to have rain for about three years because of the worship of Baal and Astarte among the Israelites to prove to them that Yahweh was the real provider and not the false gods they had turned their attention to. King Ahab and his foreign wife, Jezebel were out to kill Elijah. Elijah escaped and we meet him at the entrance to Zarephath asking the Widow to give him some water and to prepare a cake for him; a gesture that made the Widow and her son, never to lack, till the rains ever came. Because of her generosity, she never lacked, she was blessed with her son with enough to live on through our the unrainy years.

2. In the gospel text we meet another generous woman whom Jesus recommends as an ideal for every one of us in the following words to the apostles: “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” God does not expect us to be generous with all that we have to live on, but he expects us to be generous, and to have a right disposition in our generosity or charity; Jesus is not condemning the offering of the Scribes, those that gave much, but the intention behind them – and who they were intending to impress, other people and not God. In contrasting the Scribes with the poor Widow, Jesus is teaching us a great deal about the heart of God, as well as the simplicity and humility he desires from us in our generosity or charity; a sort of charity that does not expect a reward in return, a disinterested charity. Some four wrong motives of charity to consider are:

i) Doing charity from a burdensome sense of duty; in the sense of, “Let me get done with this burden, as though it were payment of taxes owed, lest I face the fate of the uncharitable.” Charity in this sense isn’t spontaneous, nor is it motivated by a true Christian spirit of compassion or mercy or generosity, which ordinarily is that which should move us to do charity.

ii) Giving too can at times be motivated by a strong self-interest. Such giving is always in view of something to be achieved in return. It may be that I expect a favor from someone, in the near or distant future, so I make a gift now to that person; it may be as a way of repaying him or her for favors received; it maybe to gain someone’s love, friendship or admiration. When it is to God, this makes us develop the false idea that we can claim some sort of entitlement from God because we are good.

iii) We sometimes may be motivated by the selfish desire to dominate and exercise control and influence over the beneficiary of our generosity. Any form of giving that robs the other of his/her dignity and value is questionable.

iv) At times too, we give for purely philanthropic reasons, and not really for God’s sake. Any giving which is not done for God’s sake is not worth it. Our help to the needy must be for God’s sake. Love of neighbor implying love of God.

v) Limiting our charity or generosity to our own friends, social class, or family members is certainly not a good idea. Confronted with this situation, Christ teaches us that: “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbors, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.” (Lk 14:12-14).

3. Genuine generosity brings unity, joy, happiness, peace … it is an expression of love – love of God and love of neighbor. We all love generous people. Generosity is meant for all, and it is expressed in several ways such as:

- Being generous with your time. Create time to be with another person, especially the lonely, the poor, the sad, the abandoned, the bereaved, etc.

- Being generous with your Talents. What talents or gifts do you have that you can share or let others benefit from? What is it you can do with ease and do others benefit from it? What am I blessed with that I can bless others or allow others to benefit from?

- Being generous with our wealth/riches. What are my resources, both the reserved and those at hand? Who are the beneficiaries of these?

4. We are generous because God has shown us through His creation and its redemption that that is what He wants. The most sublime example of such a love is that of Christ His Son, who gave his very self; not for any selfish reason, but in the most selfless way; his giving was not for himself but for the multitudes. He gave his life as a ransom for many. This is the perfect example of charity Christ has left us and wants us to emulate him, not so much with our lives as with our possessions. When you understand that all you have and are is given to you by God, the giver of all good gifts, the most generous giver, then, you cannot but imitate Him, in giving to others, especially the needy. When you further realize that we will leave this world with nothing, then you gain wisdom in the usage of the things God has given us, they are meant to be used here. Earthly things are used on earth and heavenly things will be used in heaven. We may not have a reason for being charitable than that God wants it. 

To God be the glory and honor forever and ever. Amen.

Fr. Anthony D. Lawir,

Pastor, St. Agnes and Our Lady of Snows Parishes, Pittsfield and Dexter.