In one of the parishes where I was a priest before there was a very nice, religious family with two children that went to our Catholic school. The parents didn’t make much money and lived a very modest life; however, it was very important to them that their children receive a Catholic education. That family always came to Sunday mass, they volunteer around the church and school and were always ready to help with various events we organized, so the parish helped them to pay the tuition. I remember once talking to the father, he wanted to thank us for that opportunity, but he also mentioned that even though he is unable to support our church financially at this time, however, instead of that he wanted to offer his times and skills and said that he can come and fix things, or paint, or clean up the church. I respected them so much for that. They couldn’t make any monetary donations, but they offered much more- all they have, their time and talents. They wanted to be supportive and did that in a different way. That family came up to my mind today, when I read in the Gospel about that poor widow that offered for the temple only two small coins, all that she had. Jesus said: “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” You don’t need to give much- but do you care? That widow cared.
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