HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE 34TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II/Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Homily for Monday of the 34th week in ordinary time year II 

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Revelation 14:1-3,4b-5; Luke 21:1-4.

The word of God says in the first reading from the book of revelation: "No one could learn that song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth" (Rev.14:3). 

By implication, these are those who have washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. Those who have suffered persecution, tribulation, and trial on account of the kingdom of God, thus have subsequently acquired their salvation through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Those who through their exemplary virtues of faith hope, charity, humility, patience, kindness, goodness, purity of heart, generosity, etc obtained the victory of the Son of Man. They are those whom the scripture recognized with the capability to sing the heavenly song before the throne of God.

One of these virtues strolled into the Gospel reading of today and that is the virtue of generosity. Here Jesus tells us of the generosity of the widow who gave her all into the treasury of the temple. 

Jesus applauded this widow not based on the quantity of her giving but the quality and percentage of what she gave. In comparison to the rich, she has a hundred percent. 

Mathematical analysis can be given in this regard to denote in clear terms the idea of percentage. If the widow had 50 naira to live on and gave 50 naira. Then she gave one hundred percent. But if the rich has 20,000naira to live on and put 200 naira in the treasury, then the rich didn't give a hundred percent.

A generous person does not need to have much before giving. This is the lesson the widow in today's Gospel is teaching us. If one is not generous with little even amid abundance, one will still be greedy and self-centered.

For this widow's generosity, she can be counted among the 144,000 who, in proclaiming their allegiance not only bear the name of the Lamb but follow the Lamb wherever He goes by behaving like Him. We also can be in that number.

The celebration of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary today does not honor so much an event in the life of Mary, as the gratuitous action of God's grace in choosing Mary to be the Mother of the Lord and her total availability to God's plan.

If God could honor her by making her the Mother of our Redeemer who are we not to honour her? Each time we honour her as Catholics, we simply fulfill her ancient prophecy in her song of joy in the Magnificat: "He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness, and from now on all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48).

May God through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary grant us a generous heart to give without counting the cost through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a lovely day