Sunday Reflections

Thirty Second Sunday of the Year – November 07, 2021

1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44

(Mangalore diocese)

A money-collection drive was being been conducted in a particular Church for a particular intention. The people were free to put in as much contribution as they wanted for the noble cause. One gentleman stood up and announced a rather large contribution, and the people applauded greatly. A few moments later, an old lady stood up and announced her donation. But it was greeted with silence.

The priest, however, in reply to the cold response of the people, stood up and said emphatically, “Ladies and gentleman, I believe I hear the applause of the nail-scarred Hands!”

The people understood what the priest meant, and slowly but surely applauded the old lady’s generosity.

The Gospel of the Day presents such a similar act of appreciation by Jesus over the apparently “tiny” yet really “great” contribution by a widow to the Temple Treasury.

The Gospel passage of today places before us the question, who really serves God? This question seems to emerge from the ostentatious public behavior of some Scribes and other learned persons and the contrast between the amount of money given to Temple treasury by the rich people and a poor widow. People can succeed fooling their companions but cannot fool God. Therefore Jesus gives his disciples the vivid example of the sacrifice and generosity of the widow.  This picture given in the second part of the Gospel shows a very different picture. In a way, it is a completely different scenario, and yet there are connections. The linking word between the two is "widow".  There is a striking contrast between the poor widow described in the second part of today's Gospel and the Scribes and Pharisees in the first part. The simple piety of this woman of no social standing is contrasted with the arrogance and social ambitions of some so-called religious leaders.  She is also contrasted with the rich donors offering a large amount of money they can easily afford and the tiny amount given by her.  It is doubtful that what they offered would not really affect their standard of living.  The point that is made by Jesus is that the value of a gift is not necessarily assessed by its quantity. 

An interesting point we ought to note is that the treasury was actually called a trumpet.  This is because it was constructed in the form of a trumpet as if to blow the horn. When the coins were dropped it made a loud noise and all came to know of the contribution a person had made to the Temple. Perhaps the small two coins dropped by the widow did not make any noise but it did not escape the attention of Jesus and he appreciates this great gesture. The poor widow may not even have heard the praises of Jesus and certainly, she would receive the reward from God. This poor woman, in a daring act of trust in God's providence, put into the treasury everything she had -- and it was next to nothing. She had two small coins. She put in both. We must remember that in the Kingdom of Jesus everyone counts. At the same time to be counted, we must go on changing our ways and surrender ourselves to Him and trust in his providence.

 

Happy Sunday