The first reading today from the Book of Maccabees gives us a lot to reflect on. We see the seven sons bravely facing martyrdom to uphold the laws of their ancestors and not violate God's law as they understood it then. Their mother, valiant in the face of so much suffering, encourages her sons in their sacrifice. She reflects on their lives and realizes that they were given to her by God, the origin of everything. She now selflessly gives them back to God, knowing that they will be rewarded in the next life.

As I reflect on my life and the gift of faith I have received from God, what is my response? How do I face the difficulties in life and the demands that living my Christian faith can sometimes make on me? Do I have faith and trust enough in God to uphold Christian values when I am faced with difficult situations? Perhaps as a mother I am sometimes called to stand by my children in difficult situations, in sickness, in disappointment, in tragic circumstances. Where does my strength come from? Am I like the person in the Gospel who uses all the gifts and resources that God has given to me or do I store up the little I have for fear of losing it? Let us pause today and reflect on some of these questions.