In Daniel we see the four young men allowing nothing to get in their way of observing their faith and loyalty and trust in their God. They were able to live on vegetables and refused food from the royal table for it was unclean by his people’s dietary laws and was probably from sacrifices to foreign gods.
He was focused on Gods will and his heart and soul sought nothing more than to do the will of God. Admirable traits even for our more modern times when even refraining from meat of Friday, a dietary restriction of our faith, is seldom adhered to by many Catholics.
And the in Matthew we stand outside the temple with Jesus and watch as people give their offerings. And Jesus points out the poor widow who has very little to offer but she offers without hesitation from what she needs to live on. She is focused on putting God ahead of everything, even her own life. As did Daniel for he trusted and that if he followed the commandments of God, he would be following the path set for him by God. The widow also trusted that if she kept her eyes on God and let nothing, even her own need get in the way, God would take care of her.
What commitment and trust and unwavering faith these two had.
We have the same God. Jesus commands us too to put nothing ahead of our love for God. Everything else is secondary to following the path Jesus set for us.
Do we tithe and worship when it’s convenient and out of our surplus…first assuring we get what we need and then offering not from our devoted heart but from our practical budgeting of our time and money.
Daniel and the widow yearned for God. He possessed their hearts and souls and mind. Jesus says that is the commitment he expects and requires from every believer.
Give God the best part of your time to pray to him and offer him a portion of your earnings and talents that you know is his to begin with. Then have the trust that Daniel and the widow had, that God would always provide what you need when you are on the path he has planned for you.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
Leave a comment