What's enough? (Sunday homily)

The readings today give us
a lesson in economics:
God’s economics.

There are many who seem to offer very little—
like the widow in the first reading,
and the other widow, in the Gospel.

In God’s economics, everything is topsy-turvy:
The rich are poor, and the poor are rich.

If we have a lot, by earthly standards,
that is a great blessing—
as is being able to share it with others.

But, looking down from Heaven,
a penny, a dollar, a billion dollars—
what’s the difference to God?

So while you and I see "rich" and "poor,"
we are all poor beggars in God’s eyes.

However, that means
when we bring and give freely
our morsel of faith, it is a splendid gift,
God calls it a treasure!

Yes, we do see "rich" and "poor"—
all the time.
Our community, maybe our family,
isn’t doing well,
and we see others doing better.
We might feel envy.
When you and I look up,
and see someone looking down on us—
well, then we know what it’s like
when we turn around,
and look down on those "below" us!

We have a lot of folks coming to our country
from nations to the south of us.
Some legally, others not.

They speak a foreign language,
have different customs;
we wonder who they are,
and why they aren’t like us?

Remember—in God’s eyes, we are all poor,
all immigrants, seeking something better!
The differences that you and I
find so meaningful?
God shrugs!

God doesn’t care about our differences,
and he doesn’t hold our poverty against us.
But what do you suppose he thinks
when he sees one beggar,
looking at another, saying,
"Who do you think you are?"

Our economics are protective and fearful;
in God’s economics,
a handful of flour is food for a year!

Speaking of a handful of flour,
recall what is sitting back there, on that table:
Bread and wine.
Not that much there, really.

But we bring that bread and wine to the altar.
That’s our widow’s mite—
along with our lives, ourselves.
It’s nothing—but it’s all we have!

And here, God takes that handful of flour,
and a cup of wine—
and his Holy Spirit comes down here,
and turns them into
the greatest Treasure there is!

Nothing becomes everything!
What will we include in that miracle?
Will we offer ourselves—all that we have?

After that happens, we pray as he taught us.
And we say, "Give us this day our daily bread."

Do you realize what that refers to?
Yes, it refers to our ordinary, daily needs—
food and clothing.
But it also refers to the Heavenly Bread,
the Flesh and Blood of God,
offered on this altar!

And here’s why it emphasizes,
"this day," and "daily."
Because like the widow, you and I
aren’t given a full jar;
but rather, just enough, a handful, every day.

We don’t receive Jesus once, and that’s it.
We look for him, every day—
whether in communion at Mass,
or in a visit to our chapel,
or wherever our day takes us.
If we look—we’ll find every day, we have enough!

If you come to communion at this Mass,
whether you receive in your hand, or on your tongue,
with earthly eyes, how little it may seem!

But God gives us to see with heavenly eyes:
And we realize, we are not poor, we are not lacking:
we may have only a little, but in that little,
we have everything!
The Treasure of the world,
the treasure of all treasures:
Jesus Christ!

And He is enough!