1 Kings 17:10-16 + Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 + Hebrews 9:24-28, 18 + Mark 12:38-44
Delivered at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mustang, Oklahoma
In today’s Gospel passage, we see someone who fulfills those
Commandments of love, who gives herself fully—fully to God and on behalf of
others. And in fact, she would have gone unnoticed that day in the Temple
except Jesus sees her. Everybody else is focusing on the wealthy folks and
their fine clothes and their big sums of money that come up and deposit those
in the Temple treasury. No one sees this widow except Jesus and He points her
out to His disciples. And as He does so, He says that her gift is greater than
all the rest because she is not giving something from her surplus, she is
giving really the gift of herself to God, the gift of herself to God.
Often, this story is called “The Widow’s Mite” reflecting
the smallness of her gift, but I think it should be renamed “The Widow’s Might”,
because she who had no power in her society, had incredible power to influence
others by this sacrifice of love. In fact, she, I believe, is a source of
encouragement to Jesus as He goes forward to the Cross. Because in the context
of Mark’s Gospel, this is the last time Jesus will be in the Temple. He is in
Jerusalem, a few days away from offering His life completely to God. And seeing
how this widow does this so freely and generously, I am sure it was able to
spur him on to take that very challenging step of giving Himself completely to
God on the Cross, on our behalf and out of love of neighbor as well. She is a
source of encouragement to Him. She has that power to influence others by her gift.
There are these kinds of generous gifts going on all around
us if we but have eyes of faith to see them. People are giving not of their
surplus, but giving really gifts that symbolize the gift of themselves completely
to God and in service and love of their neighbor. My first week here at [Holy
Spirit] back in January 2014, I remember opening my mail in my office and there
was an envelope from a family at St. Eugene’s that I knew fairly well. The parents,
the two parents, working six days a week at a low-paying job, making great sacrifices
so that their children could obtain a Catholic education. And as I opened the
envelope, a note fell out with a $10 check saying “Father, please put this in
your new church building fund.” I was taken aback, I mean, they don’t have that
to give but they gave it. And then it came the next month, and the next month,
and every month since—an incredible gift of generosity from this family who is not
even connected to us but through Christ and through His sacrificial love.
Or I think about the recent celebration of Oktoberfest when
for the first time we threw open the doors of our parish and welcomed others
from outside our community to come and to celebrate with us in order to raise
money for our new church fund and it was about something much more than just raising
money. I remember when the committee told me earlier this year that they were
planning for 500 people. I didn’t tell them this but the thought passed my mind,
“This is the first year: I think 500 might be a little high.” But you know, 500
showed up that night. Even though there were some kinks the first time around
that will be worked out next year, those who came had a great time, a great
time, and there was much joy and celebration that night, and people from other
parishes and even people who weren’t Catholic were here to enjoy the generosity
of our hospitality. And there were those who worked alongside each other:
newcomers and people who have been here a long time, you know, Hispanics and
Anglos and Asian and African-Americans, all with one goal: Just to give
themselves fully to this important project on behalf of the Church but
ultimately for the Glory of God. And I remember one “couple of advanced wisdom”—another
way for saying they are a little older than most of us—who here until midnight
helping to clean up after that celebration—such generosity, such generosity.
Or, I think about the recent project of enclosing our pavilion,
making it into a new classroom building. Such commitment on behalf of the leadership
team and vision to really direct that project. And the core group of people who
were here on most Saturdays, giving of themselves, more than just nails and
building a physical building, but really building up a community of faith. Hearing
Spanish being spoken next to English as Christians worked side-by-side, on a project
together, encouraging each other. And there was even one unlikely source of
encouragement to all of us who persevered in that project. It came from a
teenager who was here practically every Saturday for four months, usually the
first one here and the last one to go in the afternoon, and he came during the
week as well. He just poured his heart and soul into the project. For him it
was more than building a building, it was just an expression of love for God
and love for his neighbors here in our parish. That kind of sacrificial giving
was a real inspiration to others who came to give of themselves to the project
as well.
I think of our new candidates and catechumens here who
become before us this day to enter into a whole-hearted commitment to become one
with us in our Catholic faith and who reveal to us something we often forget: We
have such an abundance in our church, blessings through the sacraments and the
saints, and our moral teaching, and just all the riches of our faith that we
often take for granted but that others have to point out to us by their
offering of themselves, saying that they want to be part of this living Body of
Christ.
There are all sorts of signs of generosity and sacrificial
love all around us if we but put on the eyes of Jesus and see as He sees all
these incredible acts of the “Widow’s Mite”. I think of couples who are by each
other’s side in good and difficult times, times of sickness and health, times
when things are going really well and times when it is very challenging, who
are faithful and true, and continue to pour out their lives for each other. I think
of parents who give so much to their children and even on those days when they don’t
find their children likable, they still love them, they still give themselves
to their children, they still make those daily sacrifices of love that enable
their children to know that they are loved. Or, adult children who are caring
for their aging parents, parents who sometimes have lost their mind, who can no
longer remember what is going on or perhaps have lost their physical capability
to even move or go anywhere on their own—adult children there by their side,
walking with them, supporting them, strengthening them, loving them. Or,
friends who care for friends in times of great loss, sorrow, for those in this
parish who have reached out to welcome others who perhaps have been away or
just coming for the first time.
There are all sorts of people giving of themselves in love
to others who are actually encouraging others to do the same. And all of this
gift-giving, all this generosity, all this sacrificial love really flows from
one gift that we celebrate every time we come to this altar of praise. It is
the gift of the life of the Son of God who holds nothing back, who gives
Himself fully and freely to us. And who simply yet powerfully says, “This is My
Body given for you, this is My Blood poured out for you.” So that we might have
the strength, the energy, the courage to do the same, to say to others “This is
my body, my life that’s broken open for you” and find that there’s so much more
of ourselves to give away. “This is My Blood, My Very Life that I pour out for
you” and to discover there is so much more to share. And slowly but surely we
discover the truth that all widows of faith know: That with God, the jar of
flour, it never goes empty – the jug of oil, it will never go dry.
Father Joseph Jacobi
