When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
The above passage is the Gospel reading for today, the Feast of Saint Cecelia.
Do you know what's amazing about the poor widow in the Gospel today?
She got God's attention.
Notice, Jesus didn't comment on how effective the large sums of money given by the wealthy would be for the treasury supply, He commented on a small act of love, a small gift made by a widow, that turned out to be so large. This woman gave all she had to God by offering all her money to the Temple where He was worshipped. This got God's attention.
What can we learn from this?
When you do little things for others-and consequently for God- YOU get God's attention.
When you are kind to someone who you don't usually talk with, YOU get God's attention.
When you help your mom out with dinner (even though you would rather be playing video games), YOU get God's attention.
When you give up your Sunday morning breakfast with friends because you know you should fast before Mass, YOU get God's attention.
See, God doesn't expect all of us to do great things or give to Him in large ways. Sure, some of us may be called to holiness by serving the Chruch in a big way, becoming a priest or a nun, or traveling to foreign countries to be missionaries, but most of us will probably not be called to give everything for God by being martyred for our faith or by giving all of our money to the Church. However, all of us will be called to ordinary holiness. We're all given the opportunity each day to give God our "two coins" and offer Him all we have: the little and insignificant things we do or talents we have, and He uses them to build up the Kingdom. We are called to do small things with great love, as the widow in the Gospel did.
Do you want God's attention? Do you want to feel closer to Him? Do you want to follow His will for your life? Do small things with great love, and all will fall into place. When we offer all we have for the Kingdom of Heaven, we get His attention, and God takes what little we have given and helps us become the saints we were created to be.
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