Homily For Monday Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th November, 2023

Readings: Dan.1:1-6.8-20; Ps. Dan. 3:29-34; Luke:21:1-4

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

OUR GRATITUDE TO GOD MUST BE SACRIFICIAL

 

Thanksgiving is one of the best ways of showing gratitude to God for the good things we have received from him. This great act of charity should be done with a grateful heart. Our attitude and intention towards this act is what God desires to see. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus observes the attitude of people towards their thanksgiving offertory. He commented on the attitude of people who give out of their abundance, while commending the attitude of the poor widow who from her heart gave sincerely everything that she had, expressing her faith and love for God through this wonderful gesture.

 

Here, Jesus tells us that what matters is not the amount we give, but what lies in our heart, the strength of our generosity comes from the heart. Today Jesus invites us to open our hearts and be ready to give in a sacrificial way like this poor widow in our Gospel. For God, who knows our heart, looks at our efforts. The truth is that the greatest gift we can give to anyone is the gift of love, for it is only in true love that one can truly give all that he has without reservations.

 

So, as Christians, it is our obligation to follow the Lord’s teaching and dedicate ourselves and all that we have to him wholeheartedly, in faith and love at all times just like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in our first reading who remain faithful to God. And God favoured them with knowledge and intelligence in everything connected with literature, and in wisdom; while Daniel had the gift of interpreting every kind of vision and dream.

 

Dear friends, let our thanksgiving to the Lord not only come from the abundance of what we have but from true and sacrificial love that comes from our heart expressing our gratitude, faith and love for God and our neighbour. Only such offertory and thanksgiving are pleasing to God and acceptable to him.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, all we have is giving to us out of your abundant good. May we learn to show gratitude sacrificially for such a great gift and so gain more favour from you. We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Do have a fruitful week ahead.