Is Your Heart In It?

A life insurance salesman visited a woman who had been recently widowed. For thirty five years her late husband had sacrificed much in order to maintain a substantial life insurance policy. “Your husband often told me how determined he was to see that you would be well-provided for after he was gone,” the salesman said. “And so I am here to present you, as beneficiary, with this check for $500,000.” The widow tearfully accepted the check then, wiping her eyes, she said, “Nothing can replace that wonderful husband of mine who left me this $500,000. But I can tell you this, for certain — I’d give at least half of it to have him back.”

The thought of getting her “irreplaceable” husband back had a certain appeal for that rich widow. But, clearly, her heart wasn’t in it.

In today’s Gospel Lesson, Jesus watches a poor widow who has come to the Temple and, along with others, is putting her offering in the…