Dear Parishioners,
One night years ago, a cloudburst stranded a newlywed couple on a remote country road. Unable to go any farther, they got out of their car and set out on foot toward a dimly lit farmhouse.
When they reached the farmhouse, an elderly couple carrying a kerosene lamp met them at the door. Explaining their predicament, the young man asked, "Could you put us up until morning? A place on the floor or a few easy chairs would be fine."
Just then a few grains of rice slipped from the young lady's hair and fell to the floor. The elderly couple glanced down at it and exchanged a knowing glance.
"Why surely, children," said the elderly woman. "We just happen to have a spare bedroom. You get your things from the car while my husband and I freshen it up a bit."
The next morning the newlyweds got up early and prepared to leave without disturbing the elderly couple. They dressed quietly, put a ten dollar bill on the dresser and tiptoed down the stairs. When they opened the door to the living room, they found the old couple asleep in chairs. They'd given the newlyweds their only bedroom.
This story is a modern illustration of the beautiful story of the widow in today's Gospel. Like the widow in the Gospel, the elderly couple didn't give from their surplus and what they could spare. Rather, they gave from their own meager resources. In both cases, they have not only given generously but also joyfully and from the heart.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Dominick