“She of her want did cast in all that she had,
even all her living.”
St. Mark 12:44
The
Gospel reading appointed for this Sunday speaks to us about
sacrifice and service. Our Lord Jesus pointed out two very
different characters as He spoke with His disciples. First, He
pointed out the scribes, a group who would have been considered as
clergy. He condemned their manner and attitudes – the way in which
they used their position and influence. It is little wonder that
the religious officials were among Jesus’ harshest critics who
ultimately demanded His death. They loved the pomp and
circumstances which had become a part of their daily routine. They
enjoyed the prestige which accompanied their position. They enjoyed
being fawned over by the very people they were meant to serve. They
enjoyed the vicarious glory of being among the powerful and
influential and had forgotten their higher calling. Our Lord Jesus
noted how such clergy would “devour widow’s houses”, fleecing the
sheep instead of leading them to green pastures.
Having dealt with the scribes, the clergy, Jesus
then moved to another place in the temple opposite the “treasury”.
This may well have been the place called the Gate Beautiful which
was between the Court of the Gentiles and the Court of the Women. In
the Court of the Women there were 13 collection boxes called The
Trumpets because of their shape – wide at the mouth to receive
offerings. Each of them was for a special purpose, to buy corn, or
wine, or oil for sacrifice, contributions for the daily sacrifices
and expenses and upkeep of the Temple. Jesus remarks there were many
people who threw in considerable donations. But there, speaking with
His disciples, Jesus singles out a poor widow. She gave all she
had. What she gave was a mere two mites. The coin was actually
called a lepton which literally means a thin one. It was the
smallest of all coins and is thought to have been worth one fortieth
of one penny - a tiny, insignificant sum in the eyes of the world.
And yet, because she gave all she had, Jesus says her gift is
greater than all other donations put together.
Sacrifice and service are the themes of today’s
reading. These are enduring themes because they were the earmarks
of our Lord’s own ministry. You see, Christians are not only those
who live by the teachings of Jesus. Christians are those called to
be like Christ Jesus Himself. Christians are to emulate the Lord
and Savior they love. The teachings of Jesus are plain and
explicit. Those who wish to be great must achieve that greatness by
becoming servants. We are to love one another as He has loved us.
We are to give and look for nothing in return. We are to wash the
feet of the lowest and least among us. We are to serve, not be
served.
You all know the old saying about the difference
between participation and commitment. When you’re eating ham and
eggs, remember that the chicken participated in your breakfast, but
the pig was committed. That may be an old saying but it still rings
true. Commitment usually involves sacrifice. The widow was praised
for her giving because it was sacrificial. She did not give what
she had left over. She did not give out of her abundance. She gave
what she had, and all she had. And yet, our Lord did not rush over
to the widow and prevent her from giving. Why? He did not do this
because that widow’s gift was important to her. She had nothing –
nothing but her devotion, and nothing but the quiet joy and dignity
which accompanied her gift. He would not take that away from her.
To do so would have suggested that her gift wasn’t important and
would have robbed her of the opportunity to make her gift. Giving
was important to her. And it is important for us. We give not only
because what we give is needed - but because giving is something we
need to do.
Sacrifice and service also are the themes of this
weekend. Yesterday was Remembrance Day in Canada and Great Britain.
It was Veterans Day in America. It is the day when we give thanks
for the service of all those who have worn the uniform of the Armed
Forces and served a grateful nation. Veterans deserve our enduring
respect and admiration. They have earned it. They have
demonstrated their willingness to serve a cause greater than
themselves – the cause of liberty, my freedom, my liberty and yours.
When our Lord Jesus speaks of sacrifice and service,
He is speaking of the very essence of His ministry. He was born in
a manger, the birthplace of lambs, because he is the very Lamb of
God who came to take away the sins of the world. “No man takes my
life from me,” He said, “I lay it down.” When Jesus criticized the
corrupt clergy who had forgotten about sacrifice and service, He was
actually on the path which led to His sacrifice upon the cross.
When Jesus praised the poor widow who gave sacrificially, He was
Himself preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me;
that all sufficient sacrifice once offered which is the focus and
point of the Epistle reading for today.
The widow in today’s reading provided an occasion
for our Lord to teach His disciples and us about the nature of
sacrifice. She emulates our Lord in giving all that she has and
holding nothing back
She is also an example of us all. She was poor and
powerless. She was destitute. She had no bootstraps by which to
pull herself up. She was utterly dependant. We are, all of us,
like this widow in the face of God. We cannot pull ourselves up
into God’s presence. We cannot earn our way into Heaven. We cannot
merit our forgiveness. We are, all of us, utterly dependant upon
the grace and goodness of God. We are all the recipients of the
amazing grace which saves us. As the old hymn puts it, “Nothing in
my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling.” The disciples had to
learn a hard lesson. Perhaps some of them – or all of them –
aspired to be like the clergy they saw in the Temple. They had to
learn to see themselves more in terms of that poor widow. And so do
all of us.
(Back to Sermon Directory)
