Mark 12:38-44
“The Mighty Widow”
November 7, 2021 Communion Sunday
This passage’s beginning definitely makes me squirm since I’m considered a so-called religious authority by some folks and I am walking around this morning in a long robe.
I have to admit it can be pretty nice, sometimes, to be treated with respect – not so much at parties where people always think they have to stop swearing and watch their p’s & q’s.
And I do recognize and apologize that I have a much more comfortable seat up here than you do in the pews. I’m not sure about the best seat at church suppers and I promise I will never devour anyone’s house and I usually try to keep my prayers to a reasonable length – whatever it takes to ward off that greater condemnation.
Enough about me…let’s get to Jesus.
Jesus notices this poor widow at the time when she moved pretty invisibly through the temple and the marketplace.
When you imagine her in your mind, what do you see? Someone fairly old – which at that time could be 50 years old given the life expectancy then.
I went looking at various images by artists on-line and about half of them depicted her as an older bent over woman, sometimes with a cane, dropping her last two coins in the box that was often quite ornate.
The surprising images for me, though, were of young women, maybe even an 18-year-old, often grasping the hand of their young child or even holding a baby or toddler in their arms while reaching out to make sure her last two coins found their way through the slot.
She is both poor and a widow – a double whammy.
She would seemingly have nothing to offer the world and by many she would have been viewed as a burden – someone with little or no means to take care of herself and her children.
And yet, somehow Jesus takes notice of her.
This is after seeing all sorts of people go up to the treasury before her.
There were probably quite a few of the rich and famous who made a big show of how much money they put in which could all be just a show – maybe they put nothing in, who knows.
As Jesus watches he sees that not only is she putting in so little – the equivalent of a penny – but that he knows that amount would barely be worth counting – her receipt alone would probably cost more than that.
As she drops those coins, Jesus is witnessing someone who is giving everything they have because their faith is so strong.
She may be hoping her fate will be the same as another widow, the one from Zarephath, who in her desperation goes home to find a bottomless jar of meal and a jug of oil that never goes empty.
While others gave of their abundance and likely patted themselves on the back for their generosity, the widow had faith that her two coins would be enough.
In the end, this story holds up not the widow for scrutiny but any religious system that benefits from the hardship of others.
The widow here may not have many days ahead of her after giving all she had, and we know that this story is located about a week’s time before Jesus’ earthly days will come to an end.
All that’s left after this is Jesus’ speech foretelling the destruction of the temple and the rest is the passion story leading up to and through his death.
What does not happen in this story is Jesus recommending the widow’s actions to anyone else as in “go and do likewise.”
Jesus also does not characterize her offering as going to God.
Rather, he recognizes that it is supporting the system that kept the religious authorities living in a lot more comfort than many others, especially the poor in their midst who so often go unnoticed.
Jesus has made it so that we cannot ignore people like the widow.
Who are the poor widows that we can’t ignore?
What kind of community is Jesus calling us to be by holding up this one as how not to operate?
The religious leaders want to know what true power looks like and in walks their living lesson.
Young or old, a mother of a toddler or a grandmother or all alone in the world, the lesson she offers is one of faithfulness and it is in that faithfulness that she exhibits real power, power that turns the expectations of the learned on their head.
The might and power of those who can teach us the love and faithfulness won’t come dressed in fancy clothes, making a point of telling us about their generosity.
Their acts of faithfulness will be modest and likely quiet. Let us keep our ears and eyes and hearts open for those teachers, often in the most unlikely of places and at times we cannot predict. Let us keep watch and learn.
Please join me in this prayer from the New England Conference, UMC:
Lord Jesus,
Once again, you demonstrate the upside down and inside out nature
of what it means to follow you.
It is a “don’t miss this moment” kind of story – truly, truly.
It is (another) call to turn away from the world’s convention – verily, verily.
The widow gives her mite – her all.
As you gave your all.
And call your followers to give it all.
Not in the front row.
Not with the best outfit.
Not with taking pleasure from admirers.
No, but from the last row, the simple way, the generous life.
We recognize the church’s tendency to want to put on a show.
Save us from our own egotism and avarice
which creates obstacles to grace.
Help us to give not out of our abundance
but out of our utter dependence on you.
Help us to see, really see, the might of the widow,
and in so doing, really see you and your heart for us.
Amen.
By Rev. Rick McKinley, Director of Congregational Development, New England Conference, UMC