She gave out of her poverty. . .

My daughter had choir practice before school started this morning. They are preparing for the Veteran's celebration tomorrow.

So, I got up about an hour earlier than usual and drove her to school. On the way home, I saw the sign in front of the Lutheran church. She gave out of her poverty . . . that is what it said.

For a split-second, I thought of Mary. And then I remembered the story. Jesus uses these words to describe a widow who gives everything she has to the collection. To the undiscerning eye, it looks like a pittance. But, to Jesus, it is a treasure of great worth because this woman gave all that she had.

I realized that my train of thought probably mimicked that of Our Lord. Is there any way He saw a woman - a widow - who gave everything she had though the world saw nothing significant about the gift . . . and He didn't think of His own mother?

No. He must have seen the similarities. As Church Tradition teaches, His mother was a widow by then. As Sacred Scripture teaches, she gave all that she had to give. As her own words tell us in her canticle, "He has looked with favour on His lowly servant."

And I realized that every good and holy thing that can be said of any woman in Sacred Scripture can also be said of Our Lady.

She gave out of her poverty.

She was faithful.

She trusted completely that God would save her.

She put her life on the line.

She loved to the point of death.

She gave up her most treasured possession.

She stood in the gap for others.

She remained strong when even the men ran in fear.

In these statements, we see Hannah and Judith and Deborah and the widow and Queen Esther. We see Ruth and Rahab. The real question is this: women of God, do we see ourselves here?

Of course, Our Lord thought of His mother when He saw the widow's offering. Does He think of His mother when He looks at me?

The good son always looks for a girl that reminds him of his mother . . . if his mother merits emulation. And Mary certainly does.