Our Holy Fathers and Archbishops of Alexandria Athanasius (373) and Cyril (444)
Read
1 Peter 4:12-5:5; Mark 12:38-44
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
We have just celebrated the great feasts of the Theophany and the Nativity of our Lord. He loves us so much that He became like us in all ways except sin. While He lived among us, He was revealed as the true Messiah, the Saviour to restore all things, not just human nature, but the entire cosmos. He has taught us all to love, to be merciful, to forgive…
In the prayers of the Church, and especially in the celebration of the Eucharist (at the Divine Liturgy), we thank Him for all He has “done for us: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the sitting at the right hand, and the second and glorious coming.” As our Lord is completely self-emptying and self-giving, we are asked to be and to do the same. How are we faring?
We learn from the widow’s gift in the Gospel today. Real giving is sacrificial in nature. One could say that the amount of the gift really does not matter. What matters is the cost to the giver. It is not the size of the gift, but the sacrifice of the one who gives! And we not just talking about monetary gifts to the Lord and His Church; we are including all gifts of time, treasure, and talent.
How big is my sacrifice to the Lord in imitation of the Lord? Can I enlarge my gift, my sacrifice?