The book of Genesis1 recounts that Abel presented Yahweh with the first fruits and the best of his livestock. And God was pleased with Abel's offering, but not with Cain's, who did not offer the best of his harvest.
Abel was “righteous,” that is, holy and pious. What makes Abel's offering better is not its objective quality, but his dedication and generosity. For this reason, God looked with favor upon his victims and perhaps sent fire to burn them as a sign of acceptance, according to an ancient Jewish tradition.
In our lives, too, the best must be for God. We must present Abel's offering and not Cain's. For God, it must be the best of our time, our goods, our life. We cannot give him the worst, what is left over, what does not cost us sacrifice, or what we do not need. For God, our whole life, but including the best years. For the Lord, all our possessions, but when we want to make an offering to him, let us choose the most precious, as we would do with a creature of the earth that we hold dear. Man is not only body nor only soul; because he is composed of both, he also needs to manifest his faith and love for God through external, tangible acts. It is sad to see those people who seem to have time for everything but hardly any time for God: for a moment of prayer, or a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, which lasts only a few minutes..
Or they have the financial means for so many things and are stingy with God and with men. Giving always enlarges the heart and ennobles it. Stinginess ends up producing an envious soul, like that of Cain: he could not bear Abel's generosity.
"It is necessary to offer the Lord the sacrifice of Abel. A sacrifice of young and beautiful flesh, the best of the flock: of healthy and holy flesh; of hearts that have only one love: You, my God!; of minds worked by deep study, which will surrender to your Wisdom; of childlike souls, who will think of nothing but pleasing you.
Receive, from now on, Lord, this sacrifice with a sweet aroma." For You, Lord, the best of my life, of my work, of my talents, of my possessions... even those I could have had. For You, my God, everything You have given me in life, without limits, without conditions... Teach me not to deny You anything, to always offer You the best.
Let us ask the Lord to know how to offer Him, in every situation, in every circumstance, the best we have at that moment; let us ask Him for many offerings and sacrifices like Abel's: men and women who give themselves to God from their youth. Hearts that, at any age, know how to give him everything that is asked of them, without haggling, without meanness... Receive, Lord, this willing and joyful sacrifice!
HCD