32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (B)

 

Thirty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time (B) [Mk 12:38-44]

10.11.2024

The Scribal Hypocrisy and the Widow’s Offering

Readings: (1) 1 Kings 17:10-16 (2) Heb 9:24-28

1.  Focus Statement   

Real love and generosity is proved only by giving until it hurts.

2. Theme in brief

Giving until it hurts

3.  Explanation of the text

In this passage Jesus condemns the attitudes of the scribes who took pride in their flowing robes in order to draw people’s attention to themselves (12:38). They had an excessive desire for commanding respect by accepting salutations from people in marketplaces (12:38). They coveted best seats in the synagogues and highest honour for themselves in banquets (12:39). They devoured widows’ properties by hook or by crook and said long prayers to show off their piety (12:40).

Jesus contrasts this sort of hypocrisy of the scribes and the pride of the rich who showed off their wealth by contributing large sums of money to the temple treasury meant for charitable purposes (12:41) with the genuineness of a poor widow who contributed just two small copper coins (12:42). In fact, this was all she had to live on (12:44). According to Jesus her tiny contribution was greater than all the others, for the others had contributed out of their abundance of wealth, that is, from what they could spare easily enough and still had plenty left, while the widow had given everything she had out of her nothingness (12:44).

4.  Application to life                   

A person’s true value is not determined by his/her valuables.  As per world’s way of thinking, a person is considered “very important” (VIP) because of the title, post, degree he/she holds and the seat he/she occupies. As per Jesus, it is not these things, but purity of heart or intention that makes a person important or valuable. There is a natural desire in us to seek prominence. Jesus wants that when we accept leadership roles and offices in society and especially in the Church we should go counter to the world’s mentality of seeking honour and power. Instead, we should use these positions as God-given occasions/ opportunities to serve with responsibility.

Secondly, in today’s gospel text, Jesus warns us to guard against the pride of living and pride of giving. He contrasts the hypocritical life of the scribes with the authentic life and generosity of a poor widow who gave everything she had. In this text we notice all worshippers giving their contribution out of their abundance, but one poor widow giving out of her nothingness. It is easy to give something we have in abundance, because we have it in surplus, and giving it does not hurt us. But when we give something which we ourselves do not have enough, it hurts us. This is what pleases God. St. Paul says: “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). Mother Teresa used to say that we need to give until it hurts.

Anything we give for the welfare of others becomes real giving only when it is sacrificial. Real love and generosity is proved only when we give until it hurts. Like the rich people in today’s gospel who found it easy to donate large sums of money in the Temple’s treasury – because they were giving out of the surplus they had – for us also it is easy to give out of abundance of our possessions or resources. But to give out of our nothingness, as the poor widow did, is really hurting.

God does not look how much we give, but with what love and intention we give. If we share our wealth and goods for a worthy cause only when we are coaxed by repeated announcements in the church or just to get rid of those who come for collecting donations, it is not real giving. Jesus invites us today to examine and see whether we would have given or shared a part of our wealth if there would not have been any indirect pressure on us to give, or if our name would not be announced/ displayed on the walls, or if we would not be thanked in public. Without any of these things if we would give money/ goods for charitable purposes, especially when we ourselves do not have enough, then it would be real giving. Jesus says elsewhere “When you give alms (includes donations too), do not let your left hand know what your right is doing” (Mt 6:3). Thank God, we come across some genuine persons who follow this principle. They donate money for charitable purposes and request that their name should not be made public either in announcements or in writing on the walls.

In the tribal communities where I work as a missionary, I have heard about a housewife who totally gave away to a visiting pastor the little rice they had kept for that day’s cooking. When the pastor  asked her: “What will you eat?” she promptly replied: “God will provide!” Sometimes as pastors we find it painful to accept gifts from the poor when we see their poor condition. Thinking that refusal to accept such gifts given out of love and generosity would be offensive, we receive them with a heavy heart. Is it because the poor people give out of their nothingness and we receive out of our abundance? When the poor are more generous in giving than the rich, is it not a ‘crime’ to waste our precious time or spend our energies and money in useless hobbies and personal agendas, instead of spending it for the poor people’s needs?

Thirdly, today’s text invites us to be contributors, not only receivers. Receiving is enjoyable, but giving is painful. Every now and then we come across people who always want to be only receivers of service and charity and not givers and contributors. This passage leads us to the realization that as members of the Church we should not expect only to get something out of the Church, such as material or spiritual benefits, sacraments, catechesis, certificates and services of pastors but also give something of what we have to the Church. Today, if we have received the light of faith and enjoy the facilities of Church institutions, we should not forget that it is the fruit of the sacrifice made by so many generous missionaries and benefactors. Since we have benefited so much from the generosity of so many people, should we not return at least a part of their generosity towards the mission of the Church?

Some may think or say, “I am poor, or I have no time; or I do not know anything because I am not educated”. The example of the poor widow in today’s gospel challenges all these categories of people to give a little time to help others out of the little they have; to sacrifice a little thing out of their meagre resources; and to share the little knowledge they have with those who do not have even that much. Jesus warns us against the mentality of scribes who desire for prominence and honours, but are hypocritical and greedy for widow’s wealth. Against the greediness of scribes, today Jesus invites us to curb the tendencies of greediness to acquire others’ wealth, especially of the underprivileged and the poor through exploitation; instead, share our resources with them generously.

Fourthly, the widow in today’s passage is similar to Jesus who gave everything he had to the point of laying down his life. Unless our giving is sacrificial and hurting like him, what credit is that to us? For even the five-star hotels, send leftover food to orphanages! God does not look at how much we give, but the spirit with which we give.

5.  Response to God's Word

Instead of seeking honour and power, do we should use our positions as God-given occasions to serve human society and the Church with responsibility? Are we only receivers or givers, only spenders or contributors? Do we give generously or grudgingly (or for name and recognition)? Do leaders and organizers have to coax us always to give something we have, or we give it willingly and joyfully? Do we exploit the underprivileged and the marginalized, instead, share our resources with them generously? Is our giving is sacrificial?

6.  A prayer

Lord, grant that we may not be only receivers of service and charity but also givers and contributors. Give us the generosity to give till it hurts.  A