Blessed Virgin Mary 

St. Norbert, bishop 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

2 Timothy  4:1-8

 In the presence of God and Christ Jesus,

who is to judge the living and the dead, and by the hope I have of his coming and his kingdom, I urge you to preach the Word, in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking or advising, always with patience and providing instruction.

For the time is coming when people will no longer endure sound doctrine but following their passions they will surround themselves with teachers to please their itching ears. And they will abandon the truth to hear fables. So be prudent, do not mind your labor, give your­self to your work as an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

 As for me, I am already poured out as a libation, and the moment of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteous­ness with which the Lord, the just judge, will reward me on that day; and not only me, but all those who have longed for his glorious coming.

 

Ps 71: 8-9, 14-15ab, 16-17, 22

I will sing of your salvation.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Mark 12:38-44

As he was teaching, he also said to them, “Beware of those teachers of the Law who enjoy walking around in long robes and being greeted in the marketplace,   and who like to occupy reserved seats in the synagogues and the first places at feasts.  They even devour the widow’s and the orphan’s goods while making a show of long prayers. How severe a sentence they will receive!”

Jesus sat down opposite the Tem­ple treasury and watched the peo­ple dropping money into the treasury box; and many rich people put in large offerings. But a poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins.

Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all those who gave offerings. For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave from her poverty and put in everything she had, her very living.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

How much do we invest in our faith, in our prayer, in our growth in the spiritual life. As in all things in life, we only take out as much as we put in. The poor widow put into the temple treasury everything that she possessed.

She kept nothing to herself, she held nothing back, and she gave her all. Similarly, St. Paul gave his absolute all to the ministry and mission he was given; there was no remainder. Only those who give themselves completely to something can expect a return that is equal to or even greater than their original investment. And it involves a tremendous risk.

The widow risked everything, so did Paul – and they did this because they knew that in giving themselves completely, their gift would not be in vain. Are there things that are holding us back from giving our absolute all to our faith, to our spiritual life, to our family, to our relationships, to our work? Perhaps we need to sit down and assess how invested we are, especially in our relationship with Jesus.