Gospel Mark 12:38-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”
He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”
Homily
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The story we know very well. We use it so often for fundraisers. A poor widow woman who puts two small coins into the treasury is said to put in much more than all those contributors who put in very large sums. The stage is set however for this story by Jesus’ observation; “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” No doubt some of these scribes were guilty of the hypocrisy which Jesus described. Their donations were therefore a way of seeking attention and fame but left them just as well off and comfortable as they were before their donations. They only gave from their surplus wealth. The widow woman however is different and Jesus points out that which makes her different. Jesus calls what the woman gave, “her whole life”. Therein for us lies the true message of this story. Love compels us to give our all. This message is built on the foundation of the first reading taken from 1Kings 17, 10 – 16 in which the widow woman of Zareptha, at Elijah’s request agreed to give him the little cake she was about to share with her son before dying. The small container of flour and the jug of oil miraculously continued to support the widow woman and her son as well as the prophet for a whole year. She also it can be said gave “her whole life” and in the process found life.
For those of us who pretend to being disciples of Jesus, these two widows remind us that our lives are meant to be lived as a total offering to God and to others if we are not to fall into the same category of hypocrites as did the scribes. This total commitment is meant to be lived by all Christians whether it be in marriage, religious life or the single life. The lives of the saints tell us that this offering of “the whole life” can be lived. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta lived it; blessed Oscar Romero of El Salvador lived it; the recently canonized parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, Sts Louis and Zelie Martin, lived it and so can we. With confidence in God’s grace and with the accompaniment of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we too can give our “whole life” and in the process we too will find that we have not lost life; we have found life.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-living God, we thank you for the teaching which you give us in the scripture readings for this weekend. The gospel reading tells us that the giving of great donations from wealth dishonestly gained while we enjoy the benefits of that wealth is no virtue. Help us to remember that we are part of a great tradition of giving our whole life. Help us to understand that it is in giving generously our whole life to the cause of Jesus that we find life. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our Mother and your Son Jesus. Amen
