All That We’ve Got

Mark 12:41-44:

Jesus 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.”

Blog:

Many of us might say that we haven’t ever met anyone like the poor widow in the Gospel that gave Jesus everything that she had.  Many will say that we’ve all met some very wonderful, Devout folks in our lives, but to say that we’ve met someone who’s given their “whole livelihood” to Jesus is a challenge.  Or, is it?  Do we still remember those people running into the World Trade Center on September 11^th, 2001 desperately trying to save others?  Do we remember the hero(s) that thwarted evil in an attempted robbery or mass shooting?  Do we remember the sacrifice of St. Maximillian Kolbe at Auschwitz?  Do we remember what all of us are doing daily in the Service of the Lord?  You see, it’s easy to get caught-up in the day-to-day stuff and forget that we’re all giving Jesus our “livelihoods” to some degree – even if we’re not running into a building on fire while risking our lives to save others.  We’re actually risking our Spiritual Lives (in Eternity) ever single day that we step out on to the water (like St. Peter).  By remembering the Eternal chances that we’re taking day-in and day-out through our choices (free will), we can be more focused on giving all that we’ve got to Jesus.  And, just like the poor widow, what else do we have to lose?