When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.The woman in today’s reading was widowed and very poor. Her gift was to give two copper coins. It is important to understand that these coins were of very little value (les than 1/64 of a daily wage). It might have been barely enough to buy a very small meal, but nothing filling or extravagant. But she gives everything she had (her whole life) anyway, even as it were, maybe her last meal before she died.
The pharisees on the other hand were very wealthy, they paid themselves from the temple treasury, and lived like kings off of the people’s contributions. The gift that they gave would have been much more than the widow, but it would not be registered as a loss to them, because they gave from their excess wealth. But it is even worse than that because their contribution went back into the same treasury that they paid themselves from. So, you could almost even say that they were paying themselves not God.
This is why Jesus says that she gave more. Because she would not know what she was going to do next, but she trusted that the Lord would provide. She gave all that she had, to the old temple, her entire livelihood, as a gift to God and his church on earth. A gift to a temple that was bankrupt and about to be destroyed, but still, an act of total trust and commitment that God would not abandon his promises to the chosen people. He will hear the cry of the poor, and render justice, and so her trust in God is not in vain.
So the message for us today is to trust like this widow. I don’t think Jesus is telling us that we all have to give our entire livelihood to the church, but He is saying that we need to care less about the things of this world, and the work that we do, and trust more, that God will provide.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord, There is so much in these reading to ponder and consider. Please help us to make time today to think about it, and bring it into our hearts, so that it can change us and make us stronger, Amen.