“Sunday Reflection” is a regular feature, looking at the specific readings used in today’s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world. The reflection represents only my own point of view, intended to help prepare myself for the Lord’s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion. Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here.  For previous Green Room entries, click here.

This morning’s Gospel reading is Mark 12:38–44:

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors 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.”

What is the measure of love and devotion? To what measure does the Lord call us? All three of our readings answer those questions for us in different ways, but with the same end — to true caritas, true self-giving love. All three also challenge our perception of self-sacrificing love for each other, and for God. And in the Gospel, Jesus directly challenges the prevailing wisdom of the disciples’ time in measuring sacrificial love, and in many ways of our own time as well.

In our first reading, Elijah’s challenge directly challenges the perceptions not just of sacrificial love but of chivalry as well. He finds a widow on the brink of starvation, and tells her to give up her last morsel of food so he may continue his ministry. The passage of time and the familiarity of this verse may dull the shock of this story, but at some level the apparent injustice of this demand by Elijah is striking. Why not ask someone of more means, with more ability to give, to assist in his ministry? As we shortly see, this is actually a gift of mercy to a soul who has been lost.

The widow has already given in to despair, and has ceased to trust in the Lord. She tells Elijah that she is preparing the last meal for her and her son; “when we have eaten it, we shall die.” As a prophet, Elijah responds by asking her to trust in the Lord by putting aside her fear and despair. He asks for everything she has, telling her of the Lord’s promise, “The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry.”

What does this widow do? She agrees to offer up everything she and her son have left in order to serve the Lord. She puts her trust in God, and helps Elijah in his work as a prophet. She gave up her despair to embrace faith, and the Lord rewarded her for it with a year of sustenance, at least. Not only has the widow shown faith in the Lord, but caritas for Elijah, sacrificing everything to help the prophet.

The Gospel reading parallels the passage from 1 Kings. We do not know anything more about the widow except for her poverty, but the fact that she contributes everything she has shows that she puts her trust in the Lord. She does not withhold, but freely gives, even though she has next to nothing to contribute. Counted by men, her contribution is almost unnoticeable. In the eyes of the Lord, though, it surpasses all who have contributed that day. It is not a measure of money, but of reliance on the Lord for sustenance.

That’s not the only parallel Jesus employs. Compare the 1 Kings passage to the scribes and their practices as Jesus describes them. Here we are reminded of the revulsion one naturally feels when people take advantage of the poor, personified by widows again. This is not a parallel to Elijah but the opposite of his mission of mercy to the widow. The scribes “devour the houses of widows,” not for the sake of the Lord’s mercy but for their own enrichment and aggrandizement. Instead of replacing despair with faith and mercy, they replace faith with despair, afflicting the most vulnerable — those who need faith and trust in the Lord the most. It’s a twisted version of Elijah’s work, twisted by avarice, vainglory, and selfishness — the very basis of all sin.

This separates the Gospel reading today from that of the issue of treasury contributions. It’s not a lesson on tithing, but a revelation of the need to live in trust and faith — and for all to work to uplift others in mercy and caritas. Jesus Himself will embody this lesson in His Passion and resurrection, as Paul reminds the Hebrews in his letter. Christ died a horrific death in order to save all those afflicted by sin who come to Him for salvation. Jesus lived in poverty, and had nothing to give but Himself in sacrifice — to fulfill the will of God. As He put His life into God’s hands, so are we all called to do so. We are called to do this not just for our own sake, but for all of our brothers and sisters, so that they may also be lifted up out of the despair of sin to trust in the Lord.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” It is not our coin, but our hearts that open those gates.

The front page image is “Christ in the house of the Pharisee,” Jacopo Tintoretto, 16th century.