From: Mark 12:38-44

Jesus Censures the Scribes

[38] And in His (Jesus’) teaching He said, “Beware of the scribes, who
like to go about in long robes, and to have salutations in the market
places [39] and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of
honor at feasts, [40] who devour widow’s houses and for a pretense
make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Mite

[41] And He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude
putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.
[42] And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make
a penny. [43] And He called His disciples to Him, and said to them,
“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who
are contributing to the treasury. [44] For they all contributed out of
their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she
had, her whole living.”

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Commentary:

38-40. Our Lord reproves disordered desire for human honors: “We
should notice that salutations in the marketplace are not forbidden,
nor people taking the best seats if that befits their position; rather, the
faithful are warned to avoid, as they would evil men, those who set too
much store by such honors” (St. Bede, “In Marci Evangelium Expositio,
in loc.”). See also notes on Matthew 23:2-3, 5, 11 and 14.

41-44. Our Lord uses this little event to teach us the importance of
things which apparently are insignificant. He puts it somewhat
paradoxically; the poor widow has contributed more than all the rich.
In God’s sight the value of such an action lies more in upright intention
and generosity of spirit than in the quantity one gives. “Didn’t you see
the light in Jesus’ eyes as the poor widow left her little alms in the
temple? Give Him what you can: the merit is not in whether it is big
or small, but in the intention with which you give it” ([St] J. Escriva,
“The Way”, 829).

By the same token, our actions are pleasing to God even if they are
not as perfect as we would like. St. Francis de Sales comments:
“Now as among the treasures of the temple, the poor widow’s mite
was much esteemed, so the least little good works, even though
performed somewhat coldly and not according to the whole extent
of the charity which is in us, are agreeable to God, and esteemed
by Him; so that though of themselves they cannot cause and increase
in the existing love [...] yet Divine Providence, counting on them and,
out of His goodness, valuing them, forthwith rewards them with increase
in charity for the present, and assigns to them a greater Heavenly glory
for the future” (St. Francis de Sales, “Treatise on the Love of God”,
Book 3, Chapter 2).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	Tobias 12:1 - 20 ©
When the feasting was over, Tobit called his son Tobias and said, ‘My son, you ought to think about paying the amount due to your fellow traveller; give him more than the figure agreed on’. So Tobias called his companion and said, ‘Take half of what you brought back, in payment for all you have done, and go in peace’. Then Raphael took them both aside and said, ‘Bless God, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you. Bless and extol his name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving him thanks. It is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right to reveal and publish the works of God. Thank him worthily. Do what is good, and no evil can befall you. ‘Prayer with fasting and alms with right conduct are better than riches with iniquity. Better to practise almsgiving than to hoard up gold. Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days; those who commit sin and do evil, bring harm on themselves. ‘I am going to tell you the whole truth, hiding nothing from you. I have already told you that it is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right too to reveal in worthy fashion the works of God. So you must know that when you and Sarah were at prayer, it was I who offered your supplications before the glory of the Lord and who read them; so too when you were burying the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave the table to go and bury a dead man, I was sent to test your faith, and at the same time God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ever ready to enter the presence of the glory of the Lord. ‘Now bless the Lord on earth and give thanks to God. I am about to return to him above who sent me. Write down all that has happened.’ And he rose in the air.

First reading

Tobias 12:1 - 20 ©

When the feasting was over, Tobit called his son Tobias and said, ‘My son, you ought to think about paying the amount due to your fellow traveller; give him more than the figure agreed on’. So Tobias called his companion and said, ‘Take half of what you brought back, in payment for all you have done, and go in peace’.
Then Raphael took them both aside and said, ‘Bless God, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you. Bless and extol his name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving him thanks. It is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right to reveal and publish the works of God. Thank him worthily. Do what is good, and no evil can befall you.
‘Prayer with fasting and alms with right conduct are better than riches with iniquity. Better to practise almsgiving than to hoard up gold. Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days; those who commit sin and do evil, bring harm on themselves.
‘I am going to tell you the whole truth, hiding nothing from you. I have already told you that it is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right too to reveal in worthy fashion the works of God. So you must know that when you and Sarah were at prayer, it was I who offered your supplications before the glory of the Lord and who read them; so too when you were burying the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave the table to go and bury a dead man, I was sent to test your faith, and at the same time God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ever ready to enter the presence of the glory of the Lord.
‘Now bless the Lord on earth and give thanks to God. I am about to return to him above who sent me. Write down all that has happened.’ And he rose in the air.

Psalm or canticle	Tobias 13:2 - 8 ©
By turns God punishes and pardons; he sends men down to the depths of the underworld and draws them up from supreme Destruction; no one can escape his hand. If you return to him with all your heart and all your soul, behaving honestly towards him, then he will return to you and hide his face from you no longer. Consider how well he has treated you; loudly give him thanks. Bless the Lord of justice and extol the King of the ages. I for my part sing his praise in the country of my exile; I make his power and greatness known to a nation that has sinned. Sinners, return to him; let your conduct be upright before him; perhaps he will be gracious to you and take pity on you. I for my part extol God and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven. Let his greatness be in all men’s mouths, his praises be sung in Jerusalem.

Psalm or canticle

By turns God punishes and pardons;
he sends men down to the depths of the underworld
and draws them up from supreme Destruction;
no one can escape his hand.

If you return to him
with all your heart and all your soul,
behaving honestly towards him,
then he will return to you
and hide his face from you no longer.

Consider how well he has treated you;
loudly give him thanks.
Bless the Lord of justice
and extol the King of the ages.

I for my part sing his praise
in the country of my exile;
I make his power and greatness known
to a nation that has sinned.

Sinners, return to him;
let your conduct be upright before him;
perhaps he will be gracious to you
and take pity on you.

I for my part extol God
and my soul rejoices
in the King of heaven.
Let his greatness be in all men’s mouths,
his praises be sung in Jerusalem.

Gospel	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’.

Gospel

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’.