What has God given us?

He created us in His image and likeness.

He breathed life into us.

He gave us dominion over His creation.

God gave us His only begotten son.

What has Christ, God’s only begotten son, given us?

He freed us from the bondage of sin by taking on our sins.

He freed us from eternal death, by giving up His life for us and offering us the gift of eternal life with Him and His Father.

He bestows His divine mercy on his prodigal sons and daughters.

Christ gave us, after ascending into heaven to reign at the right hand of His Father, an “earthly” form of His body, His Church.

What can we give to His Church in return?

Like the poor widow, we have little to give in comparison to what we have been given.

But like the poor widow, what little we have to give, if given with pure heart will be pleasing to the Lord.

For as with Cain and Able, the heart’s disposition when presenting a gift matters more than the gift presented.

God cares not for a gift given with a hardened heart, but is well pleased with a gift given with a pure heart.

As Christ multiplied a few loaves of bread and a couple small fish to feed thousands, a gift given with a pure heart will be multiplied by Christ to provide for many.