God
with the heart of a father and a mother,
you care for the poor,
give justice to the oppressed
and food for the hungry.
In your Son Jesus you have shown us
not to give only from our surplus but ourselves.
Confound our calculations
and change our self-interest
into generous sharing,
that our way of giving may be like yours,
not counting the cost.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
Reading Introduction
Paul,
or the author using Paul's name, beseeches Timothy to keep
preaching the Word of God, in season and out of season,
to be a good minister of the Lord and to give himself, as
Paul had done.
First
Reading: 2 Tm 4:18
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.
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.
Gospel
Reading Introduction
Jesus,
who lived in the hands of the Father, points our to his
disciples how much a poor widow was living in the hands
of God, so much so that she put in the treasury for the
worship in the temple coins she even needed for her own
living. What a trust and a generosity!
Gospel
Reading: Mk 12:38 44
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.
Commentary
The
poor widow in the Gospel serves as a model for the offering
that we make to the Lord through the Church of our time,
talent and treasure. Equal gifts would be an unrealistic
and unjust goal, for we are all of different means. Equal
gifts are not expected, but equal sacrifices are. In sharing
our resources with the Church we are simply returning
to the Lord what He first gave to us. And as what He gave
to us demanded the perfect sacrifice on His part, should
not our offerings involve sacrifice on ours?
General
Intercessions
- Lord,
we pray you for your Church. Preserve it from the temptation
of riches and power, we pray:
- Lord, we pray you for widows and orphans. Keep them from
despair and make us attentive to their need of compassion
and loving help, we pray:
- Lord, we pray you for this community. Make us generous
enough to share not only from our abundance, but also at
times from our poverty, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Loving,
generous God,
in these signs of bread and wine
we celebrate how Jesus, your Son,
gave himself once and for all
that we might live and love and be free.
May we learn from him
to ask not how much we can afford
without hurting ourselves
but to let him be our strength
to give the best of ourselves
and to answer his voice
crying out in everyone in need.
We ask this through Christi our Lord.
Prayer
after Communion
Generous
and loving God,
your Son came to fill with your gifts
the poor aware of their emptiness
and he called them blessed.
Help us to discover how poor we really are -
poor in faith, in trust, in generous love.
Be near to us in your Son,
that we may become available to all
and share the best that is in us
without any outward display
but in quiet deeds of love and service,
as Jesus did, your Son,
who lives with you and with us for ever.
Blessing
Jesus
gave all that he had and was - his whole self, to bring
others life and happiness. Like him, let us not count the
cost of our gifts. My almighty God bless you, the Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Claretian Publications MACAU