In the Gospel, Jesus makes use of two contrasting characters. On one hand, you have the religious leaders. One would think they are the people who serve and give. Yet, in reality, they are the entitled and the takers.

On the other hand, you have the poor widow. One would think that she is the one trying to get everything she can put her hands on. Yet, on the contrary, she is the one who not only gives. She is the one who gives it all.

Hence Jesus reminds us that generosity is not based on how rich you are or how poor you are. Generosity is what is in the heart.

For us to be generous, three things we remember:

1. God sees everything. Just as Jesus saw in the temple, the rich gave from their excesses and the poor widow gave everything that she had. God also tells us that the basis for eternal life is how we have been a blessing to others. Yes, God sees it all.
2. It is a habit that can be learned. Whether vice or virtue it all starts small. Those who can steal billions of pesos, they started small. Those who can give billions of pesos, they too started small. Giving is a habit that can be learned.
3. Caring is Sharing. When one has a genuine concern for others, helping and sharing comes naturally. All our lives are intertwined. When one is undergoing difficulty, we are affected. When one is experiencing good times, the joy somehow rubs us.

In this Mass, we remember the words of Steven Furtick: “Gratitude begins where my sense of entitlement ends.”