SHE GAVE ALL SHE HAD
1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44
In the late 70s, a young man walked into church one evening with his first salary: a thousand green. After communion, the celebrant announced a collection for the new parish school. When the ushers reached the man, he put his salary envelope into the collection!
Sharing about the incident, he said: “I didn’t know from where my next meal would come but I put my entire salary into the collection. I was reckless! Today I make several times that amount. But I’m sure I won’t repeat that action.” He added something profound: “When we possess much, we find it difficult to give it all.”
Perhaps that is true. The reverse is certainly true in today’s readings!
The widow of Zarephath gave everything she had for God’s work, she gave her son’s and her own last meal to a foreigner whose God she did not even worship. She gave everything. And this God provided for her!
The widow in the temple offered two of the smallest coins in circulation. In the arithmetic of the kingdom, the widow’s mite is worth more than all the other contributions. While the others gave from their surplus, she gave all that she had. The two coins made up the total of resources. God must have provided for her.
Last Sunday we concentrated on the “Great Commandment”. The ultimate love towards God is found in these two widows.
Right through this section in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus has shown the emptiness of the Pharisees’ religion; he now presents this widow as an example of someone who gives all she has to God. Further, the poor widow typifies what Jesus has done and will do – give everything, give himself as an offering to God.
Jesus hopes that his disciples will take their cue not from the scribes’ ostentation but from the widow’s piety and generosity. He hopes that we will be recklessly generous with our resources.
If these poor widows could give everything to God, if a young man could give his whole salary for God’s work, what about me: What am I going to put into the “temple treasury” this week? Will I be recklessly generous and trust in divine providence?
True generosity is measured not by what I give, but by what I have left over after I give!
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