Gospel: Mark 12:38-44
At that time, Jesus was teaching the crowd and saying to them: “Beware of the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes and receive greetings in the marketplaces; they seek the seats of honor in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets; they devour widows’ houses and make long prayers for show. These will receive a very severe punishment.” Once, Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury of the temple, watching how the people put money into it. Many rich put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, worth very little. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others; for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Fruit: Discovering the greatness of charity when it is done from the heart.

Guidelines for reflection
The charity that the poor widow deposited in the temple treasury, from a material point of view, was hardly comparable to what others gave. However, Christ said: “This widow has given more than all.” With these words, Jesus presents her as a model, while also defending her. Therefore, what matters most is the inner value of the gift, the attitude of willingness to share everything, the readiness to give oneself.

1. Mercy I desire, and not sacrifice
St. Augustine said: “If you extend your hand to give, but do not have mercy in your heart, you have done nothing; but if you have mercy in your heart, even if you have nothing to give with your hand, God accepts your charity.” Here we touch the core of the theme. Above all, the inner gift matters—the attitude of openness towards others, the willingness to help share (words, comfort, time, etc.). This inner gift of ourselves, offered to others, is as if made directly to Christ, to God.

2. Trust in God
In the poor widow, we see another virtue: trust in God. Her faith and hope give her the strength to practice heroic charity, even to give all she had to live on. Let us follow the example of this woman, expanding the horizons of our charity, our faith, and our trust until they become unlimited. Am I generous in my apostolate? Or do I only give what “I have left over”? And with God?

3. Today we have reasons to believe
In Mother Teresa of Calcutta, we see a nearby miracle. In this consumerist, materialistic society, a small nun chose to prioritize serving the most needy. She chose to comfort the poorest of the poor, to give love to those who cannot give anything back. There we have a miracle of humanity, if with a simple heart we want to discover God’s work in the soul of a humble and tireless woman. What could have moved Mother Teresa to dedicate herself, day and night, to serving the poorest of the poor? What can motivate so many young women from all social classes today to follow in the footsteps of this Albanian nun? For those who see these “miracles” without prejudice, there is only one possible answer: love for someone, or better, for Someone, the greatest being that can exist and who loves us personally. Both the poor widow and many other souls who have given body and soul to give all they have received the reward of God’s children.

Purpose: I will be generous in dedicating my time to others, especially with my family.