“It is not quantity that gives the full measure of a sacrifice, but totality.” — Georges Chevrot
He follows it with this: “Being generous does not consist in giving a lot, but in giving everything.”
Challenging words.
Our minds might go immediately to finances — and that’s fair. We have the Gospel story of the widow who gave everything she had. That’s one way to take this. But I think it goes further.
Giving everything means giving our lives to Christ. To the faith. To bringing others to Him. Not just one hour on Sunday — even if that hour is Mass, even if it’s the most important hour of our week. That hour is a beautiful thing. But if the rest of the week we’re checked out, it’s just not the same.
Now, giving everything doesn’t mean selling our possessions and dragging our families to a third-world country. I’ve been writing recently about vocation — the particular mission each of us has been given, in a specific time and place, with a specific set of people and gifts. Whatever shape that vocation takes, there is an element of totality that comes with it.
Whatever our Lord is asking of us — He’s asking for all of it.
Let us pray. Lord, help us to hold nothing back. Whatever You are asking of us today, give us the courage to give it fully. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
This reflection is part of a series based on Simon Peter: Lessons from the First Pope by Georges Chevrot — a hidden gem I’d highly recommend. If you’re a reader who enjoys discovering lesser-known books on faith, prayer, and the spiritual life, hit reply or drop a like. I have a few ideas around this kind of content and would love to know if there’s interest before I go further with it.
