32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024
1 Kings 17:10-16 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44
The disciples of Jesus had arrived in Jerusalem and were amazed at the very different atmosphere of the big city and at the people who lived there. They experienced something of the Pharisees and the Scribes when they visited the area of the Temple. They witnessed Jesus teaching and answering questions and indeed learned more and more about what it meant to be disciples.
The outstanding teaching of Jesus from the first encounter with the Scribes, which was the subject of last Sunday’s gospel reading, was that as well as Love for God, we must love our neighbour ‘as ourselves’. This really struck home the essence of Christian love. The message of today’s scripture readings seems to be that we must love our neighbour even more than we love ourselves!!
The widow whom Elijah encounters in the 1st reading gives of what little she has to Elijah. We might wonder was she influenced by the reward promised. The ‘poor widow’ in the Gospel story is clearly more concerned about others than about her own needs. Clearly, the disciples noticed the antics of the scribes, parading around the streets in their long robes and with their loud boasting and lengthy ‘prayers’. The disciples must have been impressed by what they thought was the generosity with which the scribes donated to the Temple treasury.
The Lord uses the contrast between the scribes and the ‘poor widow’ to teach his disciples about generosity, sincerity and the quality of the giving. The Scribes and Pharisees give to impress the people and be repaid for their gifts and generosity. They wear their virtue as they do their outer garments – impressive and popular! Jesus does not wish his disciples to stand out from the ordinary people or to court popularity. He wants his followers to be genuine and authentic, to be truthful and generous. He abhors hypocrisy and so, this is a lesson warning of the dangers of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is the antithesis of generosity; generosity of religion and generosity of spirituality. Hypocrisy eats away at the security of friendships and relationships. It is not simply a lie: it deceives in order to win favour and esteem.
When religious deeds are done out of improper intention what seems to be done to give honour to God is done rather to gain benefit for self. This is a teaching repeated over and over in the scriptures and today’s story of the ‘poor widow’ can speak to anyone of us and bring us to question our own sincerity, generosity and humility. Where do we need to be generous towards others? Do we need to be more generous towards God? The sincerity in our relationships with God will draw us into a deeper prayer and relationship with God and, of course, that will flow into our contribution of our time and care for those around us.
The attitude that disciples of Lord strive for is that of a child. We are called to become like little children, innocent and relying on parents and on God. Let us pray with Psalm 131 for this grace:
O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor haughty my eyes.
I have not gone after things too great,
nor marvels beyond me.
Truly I have set my soul
in silence and peace;
at rest, as a child in its mother’s arms,
so is my soul.