Daily Readings - Mon Nov 23 2020
Revelation
1Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.2And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,3and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.4It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,5and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
Luke
1Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box,2and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.3And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.4For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of fidelity and generosity, inviting us to reflect on our relationship with God and our commitment to living out our faith. The first reading from Revelation presents a vision of the Lamb on Mount Zion, surrounded by the 144,000 who are redeemed and pure, singing a new canticle before God. This imagery is deeply symbolic, pointing to the ultimate triumph of God and the fidelity of those who follow the Lamb without wavering. These are the ones who have given their all, untainted by worldly distractions, and who stand as first-fruits for God. The second reading from Luke shifts our gaze to a more earthly scene, where Jesus observes the offerings being placed in the temple treasury. While the wealthy give from their abundance, it is the poor widow who captures Jesus’ attention, for she gives not out of her surplus but out of her very life. Her two small coins represent a total surrender, a willingness to give everything, even when it seems like she has nothing to spare.
These readings, though separated by very different contexts, speak to one another in profound ways. The vision in Revelation reminds us of the ultimate goal of our faith: to be completely dedicated to God, to follow the Lamb wherever he leads, and to live as people set apart for him. The Gospel, on the other hand, grounds this vision in the concrete realities of our daily lives. Jesus is not asking us to wait for some future moment to give ourselves fully to God; he calls us to live this fidelity and generosity now, in the midst of our ordinary circumstances. The widow’s two coins are not just about money; they are about the disposition of our hearts. Do we hold back, giving only what is convenient, or do we give with the kind of abandon that trusts in God’s providence?
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: What is it that I am holding back from God? Is there an area of my life where I am not fully surrendered, where I am afraid to give my all? The readings invite us to examine our own hearts and to consider the ways in which we can live more generously, more faithfully, and more fully for God. The widow’s example shows us that true giving is not about how much we have, but about how much we are willing to trust in God’s love and provision. May we, like the 144,000 and like the poor widow, be willing to give our all to the One who has given us everything.