This Poor Widow Has Put in More Than the Rest
Introduction: May you seek the wisdom of GOD and continue to focus your attention on deepening your relationship with the Lord Jesus, all with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
How’s your prayer life? Are you devoting enough time to enhancing your relationship with the Triune GOD? What are the effective means you have been using to draw ever closer to the GOD Who loves you? Do you find it hard to pray “constantly”? Are you distracted in your prayer life? These questions should lead us to examine our relationship with GOD and be ever-ready for the Coming of the Lord Jesus into our lives. We must constantly pray for an increase in the Wisdom that comes from our desire to be with GOD.
The life of a follower of the Lord Jesus should be one of giving all one has and trusting in Jesus. The First Reading describes how a non-Jewish widow was willing to share what little she had with the prophet Elijah, trusting GOD’s Word spoken through the prophet, and as a result of her trust, she was given sustenance for a year. The psalm relates how GOD takes care of those who are disabled or in need. The Letter to the Hebrews continues the explanation of Jesus fulfilling and surpassing the concept of the High Priest through His once-for-all sacrifice of giving Himself for our salvation. In the Gospel, Jesus first condemns the haughty attitude and actions of self-righteous religious leaders and then praises the poor widow who gives all she has, trusting in GOD’s providence.
First Reading; 1 Kings 17:10-16: 'Jar of meal shall not be spent, jug of oil shall not be emptied'
Commentary: This story about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath is, of course, about a widow’s generosity, but this story is more about her trust and obedience to the command of the prophet. In a way, trust in the Lord is the sub-text of all generosity: we trust that the need presented to us is presented to us by the Lord, a request for our help. We trust that God, our Father, knows what he is doing. Realizing that we are no more than stewards of God’s good things, we respond to the need that God presents. This story also has something special about it, for this widow in the territory of Sidon is mentioned in the manifesto speech which Jesus makes in Luke’s gospel in the synagogue of Nazareth: his mission is not confined to Israel any more than that of the prophets was. The gentiles, too, are the children of God, the object of his loving care, and are to be saved no less than the Jews. In Jesus’ mission, the gentiles too form part of the Chosen People of God.
Responsorial Psalm 146:7-10: My soul, give praise to the Lord.
The Responsorial Psalm proclaims GOD’s care for the needy. The LORD will provide what is necessary for those who call upon the name of the LORD. GOD truly is compassionate toward the Anawim – those who are “bowed down” by the burdens of life and who “bow down” in humble trust of GOD.
Second Reading; Hebrews 9:24-28: Christ, our high priest, has done away with sin by sacrificing himself
Commentary: Addressed to Jewish priests converted to Christianity, this Letter to the Hebrews seeks to show them that the sacrifices they had formerly valued so much were only a shadow of the reality in Christ. There is no time in heaven! Those sacrifices were of their nature temporary and unsatisfying; Christ’s is of its nature eternal and all-sufficient. The image of Christ, permanently presenting his sacrifice and his blood before the throne of God, is ultimately reassuring. It signifies the permanent and unbreakable union of humanity to God, welded by the obedience of Jesus on the Cross. Although the language is largely similar, the sacrifices of the Bible are not to be thought of in the same way as pagan and Greek sacrifices. They are not appeasing an angry god, but are celebrating unity with God. They are shared meals, and in the great annual sacrifice of the Day of Reconciliation, blood is sprinkled on people and altar to signify the renewed union with God. Especially reassuring is the mention of Christ’s blood, for blood is the symbol of life. Christ’s blood, given to us, is the sign and sacrament of the gift of divine life, offered to us, if only we will accept it.
Gospel Mark 12:38-44: This poor widow has put in more than all
Commentary: We are presented with a contrast between the dignitaries of the Temple, parading in their splendour, and the least of the least. These little coins are called lepta in Greek, meaning ‘light’, hardly more than shavings of copper, hardly worth picking up. Yet the value of a gift depends not on its absolute worth, but on the love with which it is given. The value of a birthday present depends on the love which it expresses, and the care which has gone into choosing or making it. One can imagine the widow debating with herself: could she survive without these two little coins, if she made this supreme gift to the Lord. What would she have to go without? This paltry gift is a rich expression of her trust in divine love and care, of her wanting to do something for the Lord. The little gift would go unnoticed among the riches of that exquisite and lavish building, for its splendour was the wonder of the eastern Mediterranean, but it is a heartfelt expression of her love. Just so with our prayer of praise: it does no good to God but is for us the joyful outpouring of our love and wonder.
Reflection: What is true religion and devotion to God? Jesus warns his disciples against the wrong kind of religion. In his denunciation of the scribes (the religious experts of his day), he warns against three things: the desire for prominence and first place of honor rather than lowly service for the benefit of others; the desire for deference and recognition (and seeking esteem from others) rather than seeking to promote the good of others through humble service and selfless care for others; and thirdly, attempting to use one's position (even a religious position) for self-gain and self-advancement. True religion is relating rightly to God and to one's neighbor with love, honor, and respect. The Lord puts his Holy Spirit within us so that we may be filled with the joy of his presence, the joy of true worship, and the joy of selfless giving and love for others. True reverence for God frees the heart to give liberally, both to God and to neighbor.
Love is more precious than gold
or silver: Jesus taught his disciples a dramatic lesson in generous
giving with love and devotion. Love doesn't calculate - it spends lavishly!
Jesus drove this point home to his disciples while sitting in the temple and
observing people offering their tithes. Jesus praised a poor widow who gave the
smallest of coins in contrast with the rich who gave greater sums. How can
someone in poverty give more than someone who has ample means? Jesus' answer is
very simple - love is more precious than gold!
Real giving comes from a heart full of gratitude: Jesus taught that real giving must come from the heart. A gift that is given with a grudge or for display loses most of its value. But a gift given out of love, with a spirit of generosity and sacrifice, is invaluable. The amount or size of the gift doesn't matter as much as the cost to the giver. The poor widow could have kept one of her coins, but instead, she recklessly gave away all she had! Jesus praised someone who gave barely a penny - how insignificant a sum - because it was everything she had, her whole living. What we have to offer may look very small and not worth much, but if we put all we have at the Lord's disposal, no matter how insignificant it may seem, then God can do with it and with us what is beyond our reckoning. Do you know the joy and freedom of giving liberally to God and to neighbor with gratitude and love?
Lord Jesus, all that I have is yours. Take my life, my possessions, my time, and all that I have, and use them as you desire for your glory.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Mercy and compassion are never worthless, by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.
"Although the spite of some people does not grow gentle with any kindness, nevertheless the works of mercy are not fruitless, and kindness never loses what is offered to the ungrateful. May no one, dearly beloved, make themselves strangers to good works. Let no one claim that his poverty scarcely sufficed for himself and could not help another. What is offered from a little is great, and in the scale of divine justice, the quantity of gifts is not measured but the steadfastness of souls. The 'widow' in the Gospel put two coins into the 'treasury,' and this surpassed the gifts of all the rich. No mercy is worthless before God. No compassion is fruitless. He has given different resources to human beings, but he does not ask different affections." (excerpt from SERMON 20.3.1.6)
The personal action for today: With which character in today’s readings do I most identify? The widow in Zarephath? The prophet Elijah? The religious leaders in the Gospel? The widow in the Temple? The disciples of Jesus? What is GOD challenging me to do today as a result of the readings? How much do I trust in the providence of GOD? Do I see signs of GOD’s providence in my daily living? How can I reach out humbly to those who are in need of my help?
Saint Leo the Great: With an apparent strong conviction of the importance of the Bishop of Rome in the Church, and of the Church as the ongoing sign of Christ’s presence in the world, Leo the Great displayed endless dedication as pope. Elected in 440, he worked tirelessly as “Peter’s successor,” guiding his fellow bishops as “equals in the episcopacy and infirmities.”
Leo is known as one of the best administrative popes of the ancient Church. His work branched into four main areas, indicative of his notion of the pope’s total responsibility for the flock of Christ. He worked at length to control the heresies of Pelagianism—overemphasizing human freedom—Manichaeism—seeing everything material as evil—and others, placing demands on their followers to secure true Christian beliefs.
A second major area of his concern was doctrinal controversy in the Church in the East, to which he responded with a classic letter setting down the Church’s teaching on the two natures of Christ. With strong faith, he also led the defense of Rome against barbarian attack, taking the role of peacemaker.
In these three areas, Leo’s work has been highly regarded. His growth to sainthood has its basis in the spiritual depth with which he approached the pastoral care of his people, which was the fourth focus of his work. He is known for his spiritually profound sermons. An instrument of the call to holiness, well-versed in Scripture and ecclesiastical awareness, Leo had the ability to reach the everyday needs and interests of his people. One of his sermons is used in the Office of Readings on Christmas.
It is said of Leo that his true significance rests in his doctrinal insistence on the mysteries of Christ and the Church and in the supernatural charisms of the spiritual life given to humanity in Christ and in his Body, the Church. Thus Leo held firmly that everything he did and said as pope for the administration of the Church represented Christ, the head of the Mystical Body, and Saint Peter, in whose place Leo acted.
At a time when there is widespread criticism of Church
structures, we also hear criticism that bishops and priests—indeed, all of
us—are too preoccupied with the administration of temporal matters. Pope Leo is
an example of a great administrator who used his talents in areas where spirit
and structure are inseparably combined: doctrine, peace, and pastoral care. He
avoided an “angelism” that tries to live without the body, as well as the
“practicality” that deals only in externals.
Take Lord Receive