Homily for Monday 26 November 2018
_“It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes; these have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth, no lie was found, for they are spotless.” *Revelation 14:4-5*_
A few days ago, we read of how Jesus went into the temple and “began to drive out those who sold, saying to them: ‘It is written, my house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.’” Luke 19:45. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus is still in the in the temple. Everything had now settled, and the normal worship was ongoing.
Jesus sat in a position where he could see what people were giving as their offertory and his attention was drawn to a woman who put in two copper coins. To everyone who also saw what she gave, this woman had put in the smallest amount but for Jesus, that “small amount” was bigger than what anyone else had put in.
How do we reconcile Jesus’ attitude with those buying and selling in the temple with his commendation of this woman’s offering? If His Father’s House, was simply a place of prayer, why should He praise a woman who gave everything she had to survive upon? The real question is: “Is Jesus interested in our offertory or in our attitude?”
Jesus is God. He does not depend on our money for his survival. The whole world and everything it contains belongs to Him. Jesus praised this woman not because of her two copper coins but because of the amount of faith that accompanied her giving. Unlike those who gave only a little of what they had, this woman had given all she had as an act of respect and honour to God. She knew she didn’t have much but still, she didn’t want to insult God by giving something just too insignificant in comparison with what she had.
Unlike those who Jesus referred to as robbers who had clearly come to the Temple to make a profit, this woman did not give with an investment mindset; to get back double or triple. She was commended by Jesus because she did not seem to care whether or not she was going to back what she had given. She cared more for God’s house than for her own personal wellbeing.
Giving is an act of worship, not something forced or done out of fear. When we give, God is more interested in our Faith than in the money itself. God always sees our hearts. He knows when we give as a form of trade and when we give not minding what would come back to us. Jesus condemns all forms of trading in the Temple but commends those who give with a sincere heart.
There is also another kind of giving that the first reading acknowledges. It is the giving of truth. The act of telling lies is often considered by many as a “normal sin” yet there is nothing normal about it. We cannot say it is normal to lie when are supposed to be Christians; followers of Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. St. John in the book of Revelations speaks of the one hundred and forty-four thousand (a symbolic number) who have washed their robes clean. One of the characteristics of washing their robes clean was that: “in their mouth, no lie was found.”
This passage should change our attitude to telling lies. Let us think of the one hundred and forty-four thousand each time we are tempted to twist the fact or to lie. Say the truth and shame the devil. Say the truth and have a clean robe for heaven. Say the truth even when it is not in your favour. Say the truth even in the face of persecution (note that John was writing to a persecuted church) and you will be among those washed in white and redeemed from the earth.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, train my mouth to always offer the truth. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Revelation 14:1-5, Psalm 24, Luke 21:1-4).
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