0:07
reading of the Book of Revelation of St
0:09
John I John saw this Vision the lamb was
0:14
standing on Mount Zion with him were the
0:17
144,000 whose foreheads were marked with
0:20
his name and the name of his father I
0:22
Heard a Voice coming from the sky it
0:25
sounded like the sound of torrential
0:27
Waters and the crash of loud thunder the
0:29
the noise I heard was like the sound of
0:32
musicians playing the harp they were
0:34
Before the Throne before the four living
0:36
beings and the elders and they were
0:38
singing a new song it was a song that no
0:41
one could learn only the 144,000 marked
0:46
who were rescued from the land they
0:48
follow the lamb wherever he goes they
0:51
were rescued from among men as the first
0:54
offering to God and the lamb no lie was
0:57
ever found in his mouth they are honest
1:01
word of the Lord thank
1:10
God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
1:13
Christ according to St Luke Glory To You
1:17
Lord at that time Jesus looked up and
1:20
saw rich people depositing offerings in
1:23
the temple treasury he also saw a poor
1:25
Widow who deposited two small coins at
1:29
this he said truly I say to you this
1:33
poor Widow offered more than anyone else
1:35
for they all deposited as an offering
1:38
made to God what was left over from them
1:41
but the Widow in her poverty offered
1:44
everything she had to to live word of
1:48
Salvation Glory To You
1:56
Lord dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
2:00
imagine a Heavenly Symphony music so
2:03
pure and Sublime that only those with
2:05
hearts truly in tune with God can learn
2:07
it in today's Revelation reading John
2:10
presents us with this extraordinary
2:13
Vision 144,000 people on Mount Zion
2:17
singing a new song Before the Throne of
2:20
God what a powerful image John sees the
2:24
lamb the Risen Christ standing on Mount
2:27
Zion and with him this multitude marked
2:29
with his name and the name of his father
2:32
this is not just any Mark of
2:34
identification but a seal of belonging a
2:37
declaration of deep identity these are
2:39
those who have chosen to follow the lamb
2:42
wherever he goes and what distinguishes
2:45
these people John tells us that no lie
2:48
was found in their mouths and that they
2:51
are blameless but let's not fool
2:53
ourselves into thinking that these are
2:55
people who have never made mistakes they
2:58
are rather those who who lived in
3:00
radical authenticity before God who
3:03
allowed their lives to be purified by
3:05
divine grace this is where our reading
3:08
of the Gospel intertwines beautifully
3:10
with this apocalyptic Vision Luke
3:12
presents us with a seemingly mundane
3:15
scene Jesus watching people deposit
3:18
their offerings in the temple among the
3:20
rich who make their ostentatious
3:22
donations he notices a poor Widow who
3:25
puts in two small coins truly I tell you
3:30
this poor Widow gave more than all the
3:32
rest what an extraordinary Paradox how
3:36
can someone who gives so little have
3:38
given more than everyone else because
3:41
Jesus explains she gave out of her
3:44
poverty all she had to live on this
3:47
Widow in her Simplicity and radical
3:50
generosity perfectly exemplifies those
3:53
John CES following the lamb she's not
3:56
just giving money you are giving your
3:58
entire life to God your offering is not
4:01
an isolated Act of Charity but an
4:04
expression of complete trust in Divine
4:06
Providence think for a moment what does
4:09
it mean to give all we have to live for
4:12
for the Widow it was two small coins but
4:16
what about us we may not be called to
4:19
give away all our money but we are
4:21
called to give our lives completely this
4:24
surrender manifests itself in different
4:27
ways it could be a parent who s
4:29
sacrifices their time and energy for
4:31
their children the professional who
4:34
chooses Integrity even when it costs a
4:36
promotion the young man who resists peer
4:39
pressure to stay true to his values the
4:42
elderly person who offers their
4:44
limitations and suffering in prayer for
4:46
others the Widow in the gospel and the
4:49
144,000 in the apocalypse show us that
4:52
true spirituality is not in Grand
4:54
external gestures or superficial
4:56
Perfection it is in the authenticity of
4:58
the heart in the willingness to follow
5:01
Christ even when the path is difficult
5:03
in The Confident surrender of everything
5:05
we are and have they new song that John
5:08
hears in heaven is perhaps the music
5:11
that our lives make when we live in this
5:13
radical surrender it is a Melody that
5:16
can only be learned through the
5:17
experience of following the Lamb of
5:20
trusting when we cannot see the way
5:21
ahead of giving when it seems like we
5:24
have nothing to give like the Widow we
5:27
are called to a generosity that goes
5:29
beyond rational calculation like the
5:33
144,000 we are called to a faithfulness
5:35
that distinguishes us in a world of
5:37
superficial commitments we are called to
5:40
live in such a way that our lives become
5:42
a song of praise to God but how can we
5:45
live like this in a world so focused on
5:47
having accumulating protecting ourselves
5:51
the answer lies in trust the Widow was
5:54
able to give everything because she
5:56
trusted that God would provide followers
5:59
of the L L can remain faithful because
6:01
they know in whom they have placed their
6:03
trust each of us is invited today to
6:06
examine our own lives what are we
6:09
retaining where is our trust really
6:12
placed what areas of our lives have we
6:14
not yet completely surrendered to God
6:17
maybe it's our fears of the future maybe
6:21
it's our desire for control maybe it's
6:24
our reputation or social status maybe
6:27
it's our time our talent
6:30
our resources God invites us to put all
6:33
of this into the temple treasury
6:35
trusting that he will multiply our
6:37
offering for his glory and when we do
6:40
that something extraordinary happens
6:43
like the Widow we discover that giving
6:45
everything does not leave us empty but
6:47
fills us with inexplicable Joy like the
6:51
144,000 we learn a new song a song of
6:55
freedom and confidence that the world
6:56
cannot understand my dear brothers and
6:59
sisters may we today be inspired by the
7:02
courage of this Anonymous Widow and by
7:04
the faithfulness of the followers of the
7:06
Lamb may we learn to give not from our
7:09
leftovers but from our Essence may we
7:12
follow the lamb wherever he goes
7:15
confident that each step of obedience
7:17
brings us closer to that Heavenly
7:19
Symphony and that one day when we stand
7:21
Before the Throne of God we can join
7:24
that Heavenly Choir singing the new song
7:26
that can only be learned by those who
7:28
have given everything For the Love of
7:30
Christ may the Lord give us the grace to
7:32
live with this radical generosity and
7:35
this unshakable Fidelity May Mary who
7:38
gave her total Yes to God intercede for
7:42
us on this journey and May the peace of
7:44
Christ which surpasses all understanding
7:48
guard our hearts and Minds in the love
8:01
St Michael the Archangel defend Us in
8:03
battle be our protection against the
8:06
wickedness and snares of the devil may
8:08
God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
8:12
thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
8:15
the power of God cast into hell Satan
8:18
and all the evil spirits who prowl
8:20
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
