Reflect today on wealth and choose the one that lasts forever

“Amen, I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the other collaborators in the treasury. Because everyone contributed with their surplus of wealth, but she, with her poverty, contributed with all she had, all her subsistence ". Mark 12: 43-44

All he put in the bin were two small coins worth a few cents. Yet Jesus claims to have entered more than all the rest. Are you buying it? It is difficult to accept that it is true. Our tendency is to think about the monetary value of the huge sums of money deposited before that poor widow. Those deposits are much more desirable than the two small coins that he inserted. Quite right? Or not?

If we take Jesus to his word, we should be much more grateful for the widow's two coins than the large sums of money deposited before her. This does not mean that large sums of money were not good and generous gifts. Most likely they were. God also took those gifts and used them.

But here Jesus is highlighting a contrast between spiritual wealth and material wealth. And he is saying that spiritual wealth and spiritual generosity are of much greater importance than material wealth and material generosity. The poor widow was materially poor but spiritually rich. Those with large sums of money were materially wealthy, but spiritually poorer than the widow.

In the materialistic society in which we live, it is difficult to believe it. It is very difficult to make the conscious choice to embrace spiritual wealth as a much greater blessing. Why is it difficult? Because to embrace spiritual wealth, you have to give up everything. We must all become this poor widow and contribute everything we have, our "whole livelihood".

Now, some may react immediately to this claim as extreme. It is not extreme. There is nothing wrong with being blessed with material wealth, but there is something wrong with being attached to it. What is essential is an inner disposition that imitates the generosity and spiritual poverty of this poor widow. He wanted to give and wanted to make a difference. So he gave everything he had.

Each person must discern how this practically appears in their life. This does not mean that everyone must literally sell everything they have and become a monk. But it means that everyone must have an inner disposition of complete generosity and detachment. From there, the Lord will show you how to use the material things in your possession for your greater good, as well as for the good of others.

Reflect today on the contrast between these two forms of wealth and choose what lasts for eternity. Give all that you have and all that you are to our Lord and allow Him to direct the generosity of your heart according to His perfect will.

Lord, please give me the generous and selfless heart of this poor widow. Help me to look for the ways in which I am called to give myself completely to you, keeping nothing, especially looking for the spiritual riches of your Kingdom. Jesus I believe in you.