Readings: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Heb. 9:24-28; Mk. 12:38-44
Juliana On Halloween Night
1. Juliana, a six-year-old girl, went
trick-or-treating with her mother. At one stop, a lady came out to offer
Juliana a treat. Juliana spotted a special candy she liked and asked if she
could have more. The woman replied, “No, you can only take one.” Upon hearing
this, Juliana returned the single candy she had taken. She reached into her
candy bag, scooped out two handfuls of the candy she had received, and dropped
them into the woman’s candy jar. Juliana said, “Here, have more candy so you
have enough to offer other children when they knock at your door. Don’t worry
about me; I have plenty of candy at home.” Juliana’s selfless act of giving, at
such a tender age, serves as a powerful inspiration for us all. It is a
testament to the fact that kindness is best demonstrated through actions, not
just words. Her act of generosity echoes the age-old wisdom that actions speak
louder than words.
2.
We often hear people talk about giving their widow’s mite to
mean giving all they have for a cause. Though they refer to widow’s mite, it
doesn’t always mean the givers are widows. Jesus distinguished two sets of
people in today’s gospel. The scribes who have it all and the widow who had
nothing. They have positions, recognition, authority, prestige, and money. They
“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
abdicated their roles as shepherds for the positions of corrupt and oppressive
leaders. Those who contributed to the treasury were rich people. They put in a
large sum of money while making a big show. On the other hand, the widow had
nothing and no one to rely on but God. She almost got lost in the crowd. They
may have seen her as an embarrassment to the rich people in the synagogue. But
the widow knew why she was there. She was there to worship God and give God all
she had - her heart, love, and all. No one would stop or drive her away from
God’s house. She believed that God would reward her. She gave sacrificially to
the one who gave all to her. Not giving was not an option. She may have thought
that no one would notice her gift or that her two small coins would be an
insignificant donation. But Jesus Christ saw and pointed it out to the
apostles: “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.”
3.
There
are four types of givers. (a) Sporadic givers: These give, now and then, at
irregular intervals. They may give once a month or whenever they remember, so
give a dollar today or two in three months. Giving is not part of their life.
(b) Spontaneous givers: These give without premeditation. They don’t plan their
giving. But since there is some money with them, they may throw it in.
Sometimes, they give because the pastor appeals to a particular need, so they
support it. They hate to give and do not like being asked to do so, either of
their time, talent, or treasure. Spontaneous givers give grudgingly and with
resentment. (c) Duty givers: They give because they feel an inner compulsion.
They also give reluctantly but with a sense of obligation. Their giving is not
love-driven or with a sense of appreciation to God, who is the giver of all.
4. The
Sacrificial Givers: Sacrificial giving is a scriptural
principle put in place by God himself. God revealed himself to believers as a
sacrificial giver. God gave us his only Begotten Son so that He could bring the
whole world to Himself. Sacrificial givers give with thanksgiving in their
hearts. They plan their giving and give regularly: they receive their envelopes
or give online. They give because they know that all they have and are come
from God. Their giving is not just monetary but also time and talent. To
sacrificial givers, “The jar of
flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry.” (First reading). The God who sees their hearts will
open for them the floodgates of heaven and pour down blessings upon them
without measure. For their sake, God will forbid the locust to destroy their
crop, and the vine in their field will not be barren. (Malachi 3:11). To this
group belongs the widow in today’s reading and Juliana in the story above. The
pig takes its rightful place among sacrificial givers, making a total
commitment by dying so that those who attend the charity potluck may enjoy a
healthy breakfast. Jesus Christ sacrificed his life, making a total commitment
so that we may have eternal life. This underscores the significance of
sacrificial giving and the impact it can have on others, inspiring us to give
with a similar spirit of sacrifice.
5. Today’s readings call us to reflect on the type of givers we are. They make us think of how we support the many just causes, be it our church or the many charities that stare us in the face every day. This reflection is not just a mere exercise, but a profound journey into our hearts and souls. How do we give? As a hen, a rich person, a pig, a widow, or Jesus Christ, who died so that we may have eternal life. Please take a moment to reflect on your giving habits. Are you giving with a spirit of sacrifice and love, like the widow and Juliana, or are you giving out of duty or convenience? Let us pray that we may give our hearts in love to God and learn to share our time, talent, and treasure to appreciate God’s love as we build the body of Christ, the Church. Amen.
Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP
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