OUT OF HER POVERTY, THE WIDOW HAS PUT IN EVERYTHING SHE HAD, HER WHOLE LIVING
(A biblical refection on THE 32nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME [YEAR B] – 11 NOVEMBER 2018)
Gospel Reading: Mark 12:38-44
First Reading: 1Kings 17:10-16; Psalms: Psalm 146:7-10; Second Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28
The Scripture Text
And in His teaching He said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
And He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny. 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. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.” (Mark 12:38-44 RSV)
Because the scribes were able to read and write, most people in the first century Palestine respected them for their intelligence. Some of these learned scholars loved all the attention they got and did everything they could to get even more of the spotlight.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus criticizes the scribes of the Pharisee party for wearing long robes and accepting marks of respect in public. The robes may have been the wide, scarf-like prayer shawl (called the Tallit) that Jews wore only while praying. Some scribes continued wearing these prayer shawls long after they finished reciting their prayers so others would see they had been praying and would think they were holy.
These scribes also preferred sitting in the synagogue’s front seats which the town’s dignitaries usually occupied. Many of them coveted the seat in the very front because it faced the congregation and everyone present noticed those who sat there. The seats farthest back were for the lower classes, women and children.
Jesus criticizes these scribes because they did not perform their actions out of genuine holiness but because they wanted the attention of others. Their intentions were very different from that of the poor widow in today’s Gospel.
In the Temple, there were thirteen trumpet-shaped chests for collecting offerings, each for a specific purpose (e.g. to buy oil for the lamps in the Temple). Rich people probably got everyone’s watched them. Since ancient people did not use paper money, the sound of the coins hitting the inside of the metallic trumpet made it obvious how much money they gave. While His apostles observe this happening, Jesus calls their attention to the poor widow who quietly contributes only a few small coins. This woman’s holiness exceeded that of the scribes and the rich because she didn’t give to be noticed by others but to be noticed by God.
All of us are sometimes like the scribes. We want to be noticed and we want others to think well of us.
(Adapted from Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A, B, and C, pages 220-221.)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, strengthen our faith and enable us to be generous with our time and our possessions in order to build up YOUR BODY, the Church. Amen.