💖 HOMILY - NOVEMBRE 27 💖

First Reading - Daniel 1:1-6,8-20

Gospel - Luke 21:1-4

When we make a step move to God, He makes double of it to us. Our move towards God shows our disposed heart and God loves it more than anything. The readings of today invite us to offer our disposed self to God and He will certainly accept it and use it for His work.

In the first reading, we come across a moving story of Daniel and his companions. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were the ones who were separated from other Israelites to be trained to work in the court of the king Nebuchadnezzar. The decision of Daniel and his companions, to abstain from the food and wine provided by the king, shows their fidelity to their conscience (They were well fell but their people were struggling in the foreign land). However, the main punch of the passage is not to show that but to highlight that it's God who provides health, knowledge and wisdom. It's God who is the source of wholeness for humanity. The dependence of Daniel and others on God manifests their firm belief in God. As a result, they excel in everything at the end.

Beginning with chapter 11 of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is seen confronting the Temple authorities and challenging abuses in the “organized religion” of his time. Complimenting the poor widow in today’s Gospel, Jesus contrasted the external signs of honour sought by the scribes with the humble, sacrificial offering of a poor widow and declared that she had found true honour in God’s eyes. The Gospel presents a poor widow who sacrificially gave her whole life and means of livelihood to God, symbolizing the supreme sacrifice Jesus would offer by giving His life for others. The episode invites us to a total commitment to God’s service with a humble and generous heart free from pride and prejudice.

Dear friends, every generous giving is rewarding and acknowledged by God. In the first reading, we heard about the reward of disposed heart of Daniel and his companions to God was that they were proven to be the most suitable persons for the king. It's in their giving of self to God, God molded them for His work. This is also underlined in the gospel that it's in our total giving to God the worth of generosity is doubled. This kind of sacrifice or generosity is always acceptable to God.

As St. Francis of Assisi puts it:"It's in giving that we recieve." Dear friends our little sacrifice is never a waste but rewarding. The fruit our little sacrifices will be certainly given to us in due time. The widow in the gospel teaches us that our little generous help for the Church or in the name of God given with full heart will never remain unnoticed by God. That little generosity with love is more valuable than huge donation and showy contribution.

We are also invited today to become generous with our time, wealth, and things that we have. It doesn't mean that we have have to give it all away simply but it means we should be ready to share them with the needy and vulnerable. This generous sacrifice will be certainly pleasing in the eyes of God.

May God make us generous in loving and serving others.