November 07, 2021
32nd Sunday Ordinary B
I found a penny in church and placed in the collection basket. Soon after I found a penny in a parking lot. I keep it in my car as a sign of good fortune and blessing. A lucky penny. Today we ask what is the significance of the poor widow’s offering at the temple of two small coins worth a penny?
The temple complex in Jerusalem includes a “court of women†and next to it there is a hall where visitors to the temple can make offerings for the upkeep of the sanctuary and its daily sacrifices. The hall is called the “treasury.†Donations are placed in a trumpet shaped metal container that heightens the clatter of the coins. A priest is present to announce the amount and purpose of the offering.
Jesus is teaching in the temple precincts. He observes those making offerings at the temple – rich and poor. Jesus calls his disciples to himself and observes that “this poor widow put in more than all the other contributions to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.â€
Jesus is teaching a lesson. Show and tell. The sacrificial offering of the widow is an example of what it means to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus is also drawing attention to the poor widow’s circumstance. A widow at the time of Jesus, without father, husband, or son, is without protection and support. The Torah is clear. The command: “Love your neighbor as yourself†includes widows and orphans. When the widow leaves the temple, she is not left alone in her poverty. She is a welcomed and cared for in the Jewish faith community.
Not only is the poor widow an example of loving and trusting God in adversity, but she is also a Christ figure! The widow’s offering anticipates the sacrificial offering of Jesus on the cross – giving his life for the redemption of many.
There is an enduring quality of the widow’s offering at the temple. She speaks to us of the importance of trusting God. We learn from the widow, from Jesus and his disciples that the greatest poverty is the absence of love. We learn that Eucharist is not only the center of our worship, but also the center of our concern for others, especially those in need.
Our Gospel today of the poor widow’s generosity, is an invitation to come up with ways that we can use our resources, abilities and talents to help people in need. Ladies in Shawl Ministry are crocheting prayer shawls and lap blanket for shut-ins, sick and elderly. Our Faith Formation Families are collecting blankets for St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy. After Thanksgiving, Stars of Bethlehem will be visible in the church, taped to our glass doors. You can take a star home and bring back the suggested gift. Gifts will be collected and distributed to persons and families with very limited resources before Christmas.
There is a saying: “Bread cast on the water.†It can be traced to chapter 11 in the Book of Ecclesiastes. It means to give generously without worrying about what you will gain from it or what the people will do with what you give them. We should give without expecting return. Perhaps though, we can hope someday to find a penny in a parking lot.
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31st Sunday Ordinary B
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33rd Sunday Ordinary B
