To Be Generous Without Expecting Anything in Return

To Be Generous Without Expecting Anything in Return

Mk 12: 38 – 44

32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction

In our gospel today, we see the observant Jesus speaking about what he sees happening around him. First, he mentions his observations about the scribes. Of this group, Jesus gives a word of caution, telling the crowd to beware of their wiles. Secondly, he cites the generosity of a widow who gives all that she has to the temple treasury.

The Gospel

In the gospel today, Jesus speaks about the things that he observes. The first of these observations is not a positive one. In fact, it comes as a word of caution to all who listened to him. Jesus warns them saying: “ Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the market places, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.”

In those days, scribes were considered to be the interpreters of the Old Testament Laws. They were the ancient version of lawyers who were highly and deeply respected because of their knowledge of the Law. Apparently, in the time of Jesus, they wore garments that were designed to enhance their honor and prestige. Their garments alone made them conspicuous as they drew people’s attention wherever they went.

Jesus observes that the scribes loved to be in the public eye. They wanted to be greeted where many people usually gathered together, like the market place. They also loved to take seats of honor in prominent places like in synagogues and banquets. Jesus observes how they loved to be noticed, be well known and well regarded by people in the community.

Moreover, Jesus also accuses them of “ devouring the houses of widows ” and making a show of their piety or religiosity by ” reciting lengthy prayers.”

What does Jesus mean by that? How can these people devour the houses of widows? Well, we have to understand that in those days, scribes, who acted like lawyers could serve as trustees of a widow’s estates. A common way of receiving their fee was to get a share of the widow’s estate, thus accumulating for themselves huge amounts of properties and wealth in time.  It is in this sense that they “devour houses of widows” as widows are not able to get their estate in their entirety.

The real crime happens when one considers that widows and orphans were one of the poorest people in the time of Jesus because of their inability to generate income and fend for themselves. Getting then a share of what is left to them is unconscionable as this leaves them poorer. Getting rich by depriving the poor of their share is what Jesus condemns.

But Jesus doesn’t stop his accusations there. Scribes or lawyers who had a reputation for piety had a better chance of getting prospects of participating in the process of adjudicating properties. This of course, motivates them to give the public an impression of their deep piety. Jesus says that they do this by “reciting lengthy prayers, for others to see.” To all of these Jesus has this to say: “ They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

The second observation of Jesus is a positive one. As Jesus sat down opposite the temple treasury and observed how the crowd put money into it, he saw how many rich people put in large sums. Then Jesus sees a widow putting in two small coins worth a few cents.

Jesus then calls his disciples, telling them to take notice of what the widow had done saying: “ Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood. “

Reflection

The observations of Jesus and his reactions to what he saw tell us something about who Jesus is.

First, Jesus doesn’t want an ostentatious display of oneself. The garments that the scribes wore were designed to do just that. Jesus doesn’t criticize their deep understanding of the law but how they wanted to distinguish themselves as teachers of the law by what they wore.

We all want recognition. We all want to be honored. We all wish we had the latest signature clothes, shoes or bags as these would speak loudly of our economic status. We all want to be recognized for the things that we do, the great talents that we have and to be known for our exceptional qualities, ever hungry for public acceptance and admiration.

We are afraid to become nameless and unrecognized; afraid of becoming like the rest of humanity who come and go into this world, unknown and anonymous. We don’t want to disappear and just be another faceless individual.

 Jesus knows our addiction for recognition. Because of this, he warns us: “Beware of the scribes!” He tells us to shun people who are addicted to public recognition and admonishes us not to be engrossed and be obsessed ourselves by the praise and admiration of people.

He also tells us to shun hypocrisy, just like the hypocrisy of the scribes; to shun the outer display of religiosity in order to impress upon people our deep piety when in truth and in fact, we just want to gain something out of our outward show of religion.

But most of all, Jesus is horrified by the accumulation of wealth at the expense of the poor, the widow and the orphan.

Yet, despite all the negative observations that Jesus has of the scribes, this gospel reading ends with a positive note. Jesus notices the unnoticeable. He notices what may be for us is an insignificant contribution of an insignificant widow; a poor widow cast in the shadows of a society that highlights wealth, greatness and power. “She gave everything she had,” says Jesus; “ all the rest have given out of their surplus.”

The nameless woman who gave all that she had is actually a perfect portrait of Jesus. Jesus was an insignificant son of a carpenter who came from an obscure village. He kept himself hidden from public view for most of his life. When people sought him because of the miracles he did, he sought silence and solitude on the lake or on the mountainside with his disciples, wanting to be outside the limelight and away from the crowd that sought to make him a leader.

But most important of all, Jesus was like this insignificant widow who gave everything she had. Jesus gave everything he had, including his own life on the cross, generously pouring out his life without reservation for our sake. In the end, he didn’t take a place of honor, unlike the scribes who took places of honor. He took and accepted a unique walk of shame that culminated on the cross, a place reserved only for the notorious and the insolent.  And just like the widow, he too was poor.
 Jesus ‘ observations really speak about who he is and what he stands for. His observations tell us what to avoid and what to emulate.

Let us ask the Lord for the grace of finding peace and contentment in giving and doing all our best without seeking to be recognized and be acknowledged.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I want to get noticed by others.  I want to hear the acknowledgements of people for the things that I do and for the things that I have. I feel a sense of satisfaction when I hear beautiful things said about me. But you point out to me today, the example of the widow who gave everything she had without making any fuzz about it. Let me be generous in giving myself to the service of others without expecting anything in return from them - not even the heartwarming recognition that I so desire. Amen.

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. “  - Lk 6: 35

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