Vincenzo Quyet SJ
Jesus looked at the poor widow beyond the small amount of money…
On Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 6:00 PM, Father Delegate Johan Verschueren, on behalf of Father General Arturo Sosa, presided over a Mass of Thanksgiving at the Church of Saint Ignatius to celebrate the Collegio Bellarmino’s 75thanniversary. Many priests from the Collegio and invited guests concelebrated with him.
Before beginning the Mass, Father Rector thanked the Delegate, guests, and all those present for joining the Collegio in giving thanks to God on this special occasion.
In his homily, Father Delegate first congratulated all members of the College for God’s grace bestowed over these 75 years. He then reflected on the meaning of the Scripture readings for the 32nd Sunday, particularly highlighting the example of the poor widow. The homily emphasized two key points. First, Jesus’s way of seeing. Jesus looked at the poor, humble widow and showed us the depth of his insight. He saw beyond the small amount of money she put into the Temple treasury. Jesus recognized that, unlike others who gave from their excess, she had given everything she had to live on. That was everything.
Second, true sacrifice means giving all, not just a part. The poor widow’s offering to God mirrors the woman in the first reading, who used her last flour to make bread for the prophet Elijah. This flour was all she had left to feed herself and her children before facing starvation. In this same spirit, the second reading speaks of sacrificing everything, offering oneself completely. And as we see, when we give everything, the Lord works His miracles, pouring out His blessings abundantly, like the jar of flour that never ran empty. These are the wellsprings of life that the Lord has created in so many people, in his gaze upon the poor widow, in Nathanael, in Mary Magdalene…
At the end of the homily, the Delegate encouraged all College members to follow the poor widow’s example – to let themselves be touched by Jesus’s gaze and to offer everything to Him, just as the widow did, and as Saint Ignatius desired, to draw closer to Jesus and follow Him more faithfully.
Before concluding the Mass, the Delegate and all present proceeded to the Chapel of Saint Robert Bellarmine for prayer and blessings. The Mass ended with expressions of gratitude, congratulations, applause, and great joy. AMDG! For the Greater Glory of God!
This article was translated from the original Italian version.
