Giving

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, as frightening as that may sound, so it's time to look at the GIVING that makes up part of the word and the reason for the celebration.  This is also Veteran's Day, when we set time aside to honor those who have given years of their lives, and in some cases, their lives themselves, for the sake of others.  Providentially, the readings for today's Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary time speak of incredible giving, not of huge amounts of money such as Donald Trump or Bill Gates might provide, but a giving that far surpases that of these wealthy men.  The prophet Elijah, despite knowing of the Widow of Zarephath's dire poverty, has the gall (and the confidence) to ask for a cake.  She willingly shares her last bit of flour and oil to satisfy his request and provide one last meal for her and her son.  Her gift immediately comes back to her and she never runs out of these items for the duration of the drought.
The Widow in the temple, noticed by Jesus, gives her last two coins to the temple treasury with the intention of helping those who have less.  She receives the acclaim of Jesus and is immortalized as the model of giving:  from substance, not from surplus. 
These examples should stir us to look deeply into our hearts and to our own motives for and practices of giving.  Yes, it seem we are plagued daily by mailings from one organization or another to support the hungry, seminarians, retired religions, orphans, etc. etc.  Yet right in our own communities, there are soup kitchens and organizations who are providing meals for those who would not otherwise eat.  It's time now, as we plan our own Thanksgiving meals, to determine how  we can GIVE to provide others with a reason to give thanks.  It might be money, food, or time, but if it comes from our substance and not simply our surplus, we are in good company, and though we are not looking for it, it will come back to us in way we cannot imagine.
Bro. Rene