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Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 358
Beloved: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.
R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your glory day by day. Cast me not off in my old age; as my strength fails, forsake me not. R. I will sing of your salvation. But I will always hope and praise you ever more and more. My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. R. I will sing of your salvation. I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord; O God, I will tell of your singular justice. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. R. I will sing of your salvation. So will I give you thanks with music on the lyre, for your faithfulness, O my God! I will sing your praises with the harp, O Holy One of Israel! R. I will sing of your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the course of his teaching Jesus said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “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.”
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Via USCCB
There is a profound thread connecting St. Paul and the poor widow in today’s readings: the logic of total surrender. Paul writes from prison, knowing his death is near, describing his life as being "poured out like a libation." Similarly, Jesus praises the widow not for the monetary value of her coins, but because she gave "her whole livelihood." God isn’t looking for our leftovers or our calculated "surplus"; He desires the entirety of our hearts. Today, we are invited to look at our lives and ask: Are we making a contribution, or are we making a sacrifice?
Let’s look at this through a Personal Challenge. It is incredibly easy in our modern, comfort-seeking world to give God only what fits into our schedule *after* we’ve secured our own needs. We give God the "surplus" of our time-those few minutes before sleep when we are exhausted-rather than the prime hours of our day. We give from our financial excess, but rarely enough that it requires us to change our lifestyle. Jesus contrasts the widow with the scribes who loved the appearance of holiness but lacked the risk of faith. This challenges us to move beyond a "safe" Christianity and trust God with our security, just as the widow did.
Offer the "First Fruits": Tomorrow morning, commit to giving the first 15 minutes of your day to prayer *before* you check your phone, email, or news. Give God your best attention, not your leftover energy.
The "Inconvenient" Yes: St. Paul tells Timothy to be persistent "whether it is convenient or inconvenient." This week, say "yes" to one act of service or charity that interrupts your plans or feels slightly burdensome, offering that discomfort as a prayer.
When have you felt "poured out" or exhausted for the sake of something good, and did you find peace in that exhaustion?
In what area of your life (time, finances, emotional vulnerability) are you currently giving only from your "surplus"?
Do you ever find yourself acting like the scribes-doing spiritual things so others will notice-and how can you cultivate hiddenness in your faith this week?
If Jesus sat opposite the "treasury" of your heart today, what would He say about what you are putting in?
What is one specific attachment or fear you are holding back from God because you are afraid to lose your security?
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