Monday, November 23

Think about it:
“He is not poor who has little but he who desires much.” English proverb

The Church’s Gospel text for today: Luke chapter 21 verses 1-4

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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.”

The word of the Lord
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A few thoughts on today's Gospel
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Strange, isn't it, how a little and seemingly insignificant event in the daily round of life will suddenly bring into focus what has been churning under the surface of our consciousness for a long time.

It happens for example with people. You try to figure people out, what makes them tick and then a simple act or expression reveals who they are. You begin to see what truly motivates them, drives them or what confuses them.

It happens with ourselves. We try to understand ourselves by great introspection. We are often unsure of the conflicting mixture of values and purposes. Then in some crisis or opportunity, we act or react and it reveals what is really going on inside.

It happens with situations. We gather into our feelings and thoughts, what's happening, not really clear what we should do about a given situation. Then without expecting it, something happens and we see the whole thing very clearly, as never before.

In our Gospel reading today we see a similar picture.

Jesus has been through a grueling day and all of a sudden, what seemingly appears as an insignificant event: a widow contributing her mite, brings it all into focus. Jesus found a quiet place, a place in the courts of the temple. He sat across from the large metal boxes, which collected the contributions for the upkeep and sacrifices.

I am quite sure He sat down in the midst of the storm of that day, to think and to pray, musing at all that had happened to Him. He was probably barely aware of the stream of people that passed by, flinging their tithes, their offerings and their temple taxes into the contribution boxes.

These boxes where called trumpets, because of their trumpet like shape. People would throw their contributions in with force, in order to make a loud noise and attract the attention of those around them. The larger the coin - the bigger, the better the sound.

In the middle of all these people, of all the questions and all the racket, a frail little old widow unpretentiously approached one of the trumpets and quietly slipped in her contribution. The coin that she contributed was called a lepton, which literally means "the thin one".

The little tinkle of her coin sliding down the throat of the trumpet caught Jesus' attention immediately.

He had a way of hearing what was insignificant to others. It was always true in the milling crowds; He could hear the frail cry of people in need. It was in the crowd, He heard and felt the need of a woman with a hemorrhage of blood, you remember? It was in a crowd that He heard the cry of Bartamaeus for sight and hope.

Now He hears the sound of the widow’s coin. Let me just ask this: How could you not believe that He hears you when you call out to Him?
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Enjoy your week,
Father Pat