The widow’s mite symbolises generosity. A small gesture bursting with meaning grabs the imagination and immortalises itself. Today’s Gospel reading (Mark 12:38-44) notes that the widow has two coins. She could give one, keep the other, and still be considered generous. But no! Her generosity is not half measure. Her reverence for God and her respect for the Law and its requirements are total.
The spotlight is on the quality of her giving. We don’t know what happens to her afterwards. But somehow we just know she’s not going to die of starvation. We can’t prove it, of course. But God doesn’t respond to generosity with punishment. What kind of a god would that be!
It’s the same for us. When we respond generously to life’s demands we’re not punished for doing so. Here are some more things we can’t prove, but which are true nonetheless: the more we give the more we discover we have to give; and, not only are those who receive enriched, so too are those who give.
When I worked in Indonesia as a missionary occasionally I gave money to people in need, or spent it for medical treatment on their behalf. To my surprise, on several occasions I received money out of the blue from home in the form of Mass offerings within weeks of having given help to others. Like the jar of meal and the jug of oil in today’s First Reading (1 Kings 17:10-16) my small jar was never empty either.
It really does work that way. Try it and see.
Fr Tom Cahill SVD, Divine Word Missionaries, Donamon, Co Roscommon
Email tomcee@svdireland.com
