Monday 25 November 2024

Today is Monday the 25th of November in the 34th week of Ordinary Time. Eliza King sings, ‘Foolish and Ruined’. What precious thing could you offer Jesus today? The more that I store up, cling to and covet The less that I truly own Wiser is she who takes up her perfume Breaks the jar, let's it flow On her love she spends it all Many will say it's foolish But I have known love and I'm ruined To those who look on, it's wasteful But to You, it is beautifully given Love can look strange to religion Love can look strange to religion It cannot be bought with silver or gold But still will cost all I have But as treasure decays and earth fades away There won't be a thing that I lack So why would I hold my love back? Many will say it's foolish But I have known love and I'm ruined To those who look on, it's wasteful But to You, it is beautifully given Love can look strange to religion Love can look strange to religion Broken and poured out My love is fragrant now I will not withhold From the lover of my soul Broken and poured out My love is fragrant now I will not withhold From the lover of my soul Broken and poured out My love is fragrant now I will not withhold For my love, You're worth it all Many will say it's foolish But I have known love and I'm ruined To those who look on, it's wasteful But to You, it is beautifully given Love can look strange to religion Love can look strange to religion But I'd rather be foolish and ruined I'd rather be foolish and ruined Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 21:1-4 [Jesus] looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.’ Imagine yourself in this scene. You are in the Temple as people come and go bringing gifts. Who can you see? What do they look like? Suddenly you see a poor widow. How does she seem to you? What does she give to the treasury? What do you think about her gift? As you listen to what Jesus says about her, what is stirring in you? Listen to the reading again. Now it’s your turn to offer your gift to the treasury. What will you give? And what does Jesus say about your giving? In these last moments of prayer, think about what it would mean for you to give everything you have to God. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.