gave an offering from their plenty; but she, out of her poverty, gave all she had to live on.”

Reflection:

Jesus is people watching in the temple of
Jerusalem. He comes upon an interesting sight
of people giving their alms for the upkeep of the
temple. The rich naturally give more. But what
caught His attention is the widow. He marvels at
her donation. The widow gives everything she has
to live off of that day. She contributes all she has for
the good of others. In this way, she sacrifices her day
for that one singular act of charity. Contrast this with
the others who simply give out of their surplus. It will
not inconvenience them as much as the widow will
be inconvenienced by her action. This simple act by
an anonymous widow should give us pause.
We should not measure the gifts we give by size
or amount, but by the sacrifice they entail.