One of my earliest memories as a little girl was watching a documentary on the work of Mother Teresa from the 1970s in my grandma's living room.
I was captured by what I saw and not phased by the depth of poverty and injustice towards the poor. Something in what I watched caught my heart. Even then, I was struck how Mother Teresa never avoided the poor and vulnerable, she always looked them directly in the eye and treated them with respect and dignity. This memory reminds me how from the very beginning, the Church has always had a deep love for the poor.
The widow in Saint Mark's Gospel today represented the truly poor, those who can neither speak for themselves or fend for themselves. Who was this woman? What was her back story? How did she come to be a widow, all on her own? Did she have anyone she could turn to for support?
What do we know about her? This woman shared what she had for the good of others and the glory of God. The little bit she had she offered as a humble sacrifice out of love for God. We are each called to do the same.
The Church has always had a special love for the poor, beginning with the words of Christ. In the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaims Himself as the home for the poor. As followers of Jesus, we are called to share time, talent, and treasure with those who cannot speak for themselves. The corporal works of mercy (feeding the sick, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned and sick, burying the dead) illustrate the Church's love for the poor. These should be at the forefront of living the Christian life, not an afterthought.
Have you recently been involved in an activity or ministry that served the poor? What gifts or challenges do the poor, the homeless, or the suffering bring us?
May we each be like the widow who offered God all that she had as we trust our needs and cares will be met by our loving Father.
Our needs and cares will be met for in our loving Father. // @amoderngraceClick to tweet
LOVING GOD, LOVING OTHERS
A NEW WORKSHOP
COME BACK TO FIRST LOVE
