Give

Today’s Gospel Text:  He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3 And he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4 for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had." Luke 21:1-4

Reflection: Israel had a law on tithing and they picked up the noble art of giving something or the other for God’s work.

If they failed in any way then they had the prophets to warn them of their robbery when it came to giving God: 

“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How are we robbing thee?' In your tithes and offerings.  You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me; the whole nation of you.  Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.”   Mal 3:8-10

Yet when it comes to giving we come up with many excuses, justifying and assuaging our consciences to act contrary to what God wants of us. We will store and spend on all sorts of pleasures but we would not want to participate in the pleasure of giving for God’s work; the pleasure of participating in the great sacrifice of Christ.

We in the Christian setting seem to have lost the sense of tithing and very few whom I know tithe for God’s work and the spread of the Kingdom; the protestant’s do it well.  

Tithe is not preached in the Christian setting because, Scripture expects more than mere contribution by way of money, but our whole selves offered to God. (cfr. Rom. 12: 1)

Yet in giving even a tenth portion of what we grossly earn is robbed of God who has given us the ability to make wealth. (Dt. 8:18)

Render to God what belongs to him and what belongs to him is more than a tenth, our whole selves. (cfr. Mk. 2:17; Lk. 20:25)

St. Paul gives us a criterion for giving:  “Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.”  1 Cor 9:13-14

Be a Dedicated Disciple and give, always remembering that nothing escapes his attention, even a widow’s mite and what is more he expects even the poor to give and thus express their faith and love for him.   

Prayer:  Lord I pray that I may have the grace not to delay in giving of myself and at least a tenth of all that you have given me, for your service.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us