Jesus Tells Us What God Truly Desires

Jesus Tells Us What God Truly Desires In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of people placing their offerings into the treasury. Jesus takes His disciples, sits down, and observes the people making their contributions. Many offer substantial amounts. However, one widow steps forward and places two small coins—everything she possesses. We have all heard this story before, but what deeper message is God revealing to us? St. Jerome’s Encounter With Jesus At the beginning of the Homily, we learn about St. Jerome, a priest from the 4th century. At the request of the pope, St. Jerome dedicated many years—even decades—to translating the Bible into Latin. The Homily then shares a story of an encounter between St. Jerome and Jesus. In this interaction, Jesus asks St. Jerome for a gift. The saint offers the newly completed translation of the Bible, but Jesus replies that it is not what He desires. Jerome offers other valuable items, but each time, Jesus indicates they are not what He wants. To understand what Jesus truly desires, listen further to the Homily. The Gospel passage and St. Jerome’s story both convey the same message: trust. Jesus calls us to give with complete trust in God. Perhaps our personal ambitions remain unfulfilled. We may feel disappointed. Our spiritual life might feel dry, leaving us unable to sense God’s presence despite our prayers. Or maybe we face the heartache of seeing our children grow in ways that differ from our expectations. Even in these moments, Jesus invites us to trust—to place our faith entirely in God. Explore more of this reflection by listening to this Meditation Media. Listen to: Jesus Tells Us What God Truly Desires ----------------------------------------- Image: The Widow’s Mite : French Painter: James Tissot: 1886 ----------------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Mark: 12: 38-44 First Reading: 1 KGS 17: 10-16 Second Reading: HEB 9: 24-28