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Word To Life
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Sunday Scripture Readings, Nov. 8, 2009
By Jeff Hedglen
Catholic News Service
November 8, Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle B Readings:
1) 1 Kings 17:10-16
Psalm 146:7-10
2) Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel: Mark 12:38-44
It is amazing when a Gospel story comes to life in modern times as it did for me recently when a friend told me about something that happened at her place of work.
One of her co-workers was in an auto accident and would be out of work for a number of weeks. Before the accident, this person had been getting by nicely but without much room to spare in her budget. Now, with her car totaled and medical bills coming due, times were going to be rough.
The office staff decided to collect donations to help offset some of the bills, and -- here is where we see the Gospel come alive -- as contributions started coming in, it became evident that the employees on the lower end of the pay scale were the ones who gave the majority of the money, while those in the upper tiers of the company hardly gave at all.
One employee even said, "I just got married and do not have any extra cash, but I have this department store gift card for $20," and that is what she gave.
This Sunday's readings all speak about how the best gifts are gifts of self. Such sacrificial gifts are exemplified by the widow and her son in 1 Kings, who gave what little food they had left to Elijah, and the poor woman in the Gospel of Mark who gave just a couple of cents to the temple treasury. In Hebrews, the total gift of self, made perfectly by Jesus, is explained in heavenly terms.
In each of the passages from the Lectionary, as with the giving by my friend's co-workers, the gift that was offered came, not from the surplus of the giver, but from the depth of his or her faith. Jesus says in Mark's Gospel that this is the preferred attitude when giving.
These are challenging words that call us to look at how we give and what motivates our giving. There is unending need in our world, and we certainly cannot solve all of it on our own with our checkbooks, but we are being called to do our part.
Gifts now being accepted, anywhere from two cents to one's whole self.
QUESTIONS:
What are some ways you have given of your time, talent or treasure for the poor or your church community? Name a cause or organization you would love to support: How can you support it in the coming week?
SCRIPTURE TO BE ILLUSTRATED:
"She, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood" (Mark 12:44).
END
Copyright © 2009 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS Word To Life column may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service.
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