Homily: March 4, 2025, Tuesday of the Eight week in Ordinary time (Empty Handed)

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 "Appear not before the LORD empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts." 

One of our parish volunteers who gives rides to refugee families to bring them for Sunday Mass shared an incident with me. One day, she arrived at a house to pick up a family as usual, but they were reluctant to go to church. When she asked them why, the children responded, “We have no money to put in the collection basket.”

Oh, my heart ached to hear that. The church needs money, but God does not. Yet the refugee families in our parish, who have barely enough for themselves, would refuse to come before the Lord empty-handed. They are so eager to give.

Our parish is special, our Sunday collections always receive hundreds of one-dollar bills. I presume these are small offerings given with great love. Just like the poor widow who gave two small coins, she won Jesus’ praise for giving her all. Our Lord does not count the dollars, He weighs the sincerity.

The first reading tells us: "Give to the Most High as He has given to you, generously, according to your means.”

Indeed, let us be generous with the Lord, but it does not have to be monetary. Give according to our means and give what we have received – time and talent, love and friendship, joy and peace.

Tomorrow, we begin the season of Lent – what will you give up for the Lord? Do you have a plan?

God does not expect us to give up something which we need to live and grow, He prefers that we give up what is causing us to die and rot.

As we enter Lent, let us reflect and think what is it that blocks us from being close to God, what is preventing us from growing stronger spiritually, these are what we should give up.

Then let us give to God what He desires - a true and contrite heart, a generous heart, a loving heart, a joyful heart.

When we make the time and effort to come before the Lord, we do not come empty-handed, because we come with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our soul, to love and adore Him.

Yes, let us offer Him all that we are, for He has given us all that He is. Amen.


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