Gospel Reflection 11th  November

The 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9.6)

The Gospel this Sunday is a one of contrasts; a widow and the Scribes, the poor and the wealthy, the powerless and the powerful, humility and showing off to impress.

It is no secret that Jesus and the Scribes or the Pharisees did not get on very well with each other. They were the law makers and the religious elite of their day. They, in their self-righteousness decided who was allowed into the local synagogue to pray. They looked down on and passed judgement on the sick and the poor. It is no wonder that they and Jesus rarely saw eye to eye. He arrived and clearly said for all to hear, ‘I have come to bring the Good News to the poor.’  What is this Good News? It is the Good News that God loves the poor, the sick, the outsider, the sinner, and the widows. In the Gospel, Jesus points to and holds up one such poor widow to show the Scribes and Pharisees how hypocritical they really are.

Right at the beginning of the gospel, Jesus, openly criticises the Scribes. He says they like to dress up and walk around so that everyone will see them. They take and claim the best seats in the synagogues and at meals. They steal the property of the poor, especially the widows and show off by saying long prayers. Then, while sitting opposite the treasury he sees these and other wealthy people putting in a great deal of money for all to see. Then, ‘a poor widow came in and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny.’ The wealthy gave from their excess; what they didn’t need nor want. The widow, in contrast gave everything she had to live on. In reality, those who had much gave very little and the widow who had very little gave all she had.

This is a difficult and challenging gospel for us to hear today. What is Jesus saying to us through the gospel and in particular through this poor widow? He is not condemning giving money or donating to charities. He is asking us to be careful as to why and how we give to others. It is what we freely give from our own want, not from our extra surplus, that shows what we really believe and what sort of lives we are leading. It is not just how much or the measure of the gift that really matters, but the measure of the love with which we give. It is not how much or the size of what we give that truly matters, but the love and the sacrifice in which we give that makes our generosity holy in the eyes of God.

Let us, in all humility follow the example of this poor widow; let us give and share out of a sense of love, compassion and concern for others, as scripture reminds us; God loves a cheerful giver.

Br. Michael Moore OMI

Mark 12:38-44

In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’

  He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’

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