32nd Sunday of the Year (08 Nov 2009)
1Kgs 17. 10-16; Ps 146; Hb 9. 24-28; Mk 12. 38-44
Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J.
1Kgs 17. 10-16; Ps 146; Hb 9. 24-28; Mk 12. 38-44
Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J.
She Revealed Jesus
As Jesus drew near the end of his ministry, he came to Jerusalem to suffer, die and be raised on the third day./1/ As we begin to close another liturgical year in which we more deeply immerse ourselves in the mystery of our Messiah Jesus, today’s gospel views Jesus in the area outside the temple,/2/ its treasury. In a very spacious area with terraced walls, Jesus could have sat away from many people moving about near the temple treasury, yet near enough to notice facial expressions and other body language.
Jesus saw the crowds; the religious professionals—the scribes, Pharisees, elders; wealthy people; and his disciples. Jesus spoke to everyone, and when we hear and read Jesus speaking to his disciples, Jesus is addressing us, his disciples today, the church.
The two scenes in today’s gospel—Jesus’ remarks about the scribes and a poor widow may seem connected by a slender thread of coincidence. So we may ask, “Do Jesus’ words speak to us?” I suggest that they remind us that God protects God’s faithful, and they urge us to act with confidence in that protection.
When Jesus addressed the crowds, his disciples heard him, too. His disciples knew that scribes had the legal right to administer estates. They earned that trust by their standing as religious leaders. Some scribes were trustworthy, yet by Jesus’ day enough had squandered the estates of many to enrich themselves. Greed was a human temptation not limited to the scribes. Jesus knew that. He named them as only one example of what to beware, much the way people warn friends to beware people who won’t be fair with them. As we say and hear, “Watch out for scam artists who….” Jesus warned his disciples about people who made a show of their faith instead of living it and living by it.
Greed is a symptom of a need to be in greater control of one’s life. The word life includes both human life and one’s possessions. From the vision of faith, however, my human life and all I have are gifts to me from my Creator. All—life & possessions—are given us to manage and manage well. It’s false to think 90% is mine and 10% is God’s. All is God’s, who gives to humans to manage as best they can.
Confident faith frees us to be loving stewards. Confident faith has practical aspects, which Jesus may have been teaching the crowds that day, of honesty and fairness not exploitation and greed. In the crowd Jesus saw the poor widow. She was his parable! The poor widow modeled confident faith because
she came to the treasury and put in two small coins worth a few cents. She did not put in one and keep one for herself. Her confident faith that God would safeguard her and guide her journey through life freed her. Moreover, Jesus saw how she and the crowd put in their offerings. As it happens so often, we with more have more to distract us from giving freely and faithfully.
Jesus saw the crowds; the religious professionals—the scribes, Pharisees, elders; wealthy people; and his disciples. Jesus spoke to everyone, and when we hear and read Jesus speaking to his disciples, Jesus is addressing us, his disciples today, the church.
The two scenes in today’s gospel—Jesus’ remarks about the scribes and a poor widow may seem connected by a slender thread of coincidence. So we may ask, “Do Jesus’ words speak to us?” I suggest that they remind us that God protects God’s faithful, and they urge us to act with confidence in that protection.
When Jesus addressed the crowds, his disciples heard him, too. His disciples knew that scribes had the legal right to administer estates. They earned that trust by their standing as religious leaders. Some scribes were trustworthy, yet by Jesus’ day enough had squandered the estates of many to enrich themselves. Greed was a human temptation not limited to the scribes. Jesus knew that. He named them as only one example of what to beware, much the way people warn friends to beware people who won’t be fair with them. As we say and hear, “Watch out for scam artists who….” Jesus warned his disciples about people who made a show of their faith instead of living it and living by it.
Greed is a symptom of a need to be in greater control of one’s life. The word life includes both human life and one’s possessions. From the vision of faith, however, my human life and all I have are gifts to me from my Creator. All—life & possessions—are given us to manage and manage well. It’s false to think 90% is mine and 10% is God’s. All is God’s, who gives to humans to manage as best they can.
Confident faith frees us to be loving stewards. Confident faith has practical aspects, which Jesus may have been teaching the crowds that day, of honesty and fairness not exploitation and greed. In the crowd Jesus saw the poor widow. She was his parable! The poor widow modeled confident faith because
she came to the treasury and put in two small coins worth a few cents. She did not put in one and keep one for herself. Her confident faith that God would safeguard her and guide her journey through life freed her. Moreover, Jesus saw how she and the crowd put in their offerings. As it happens so often, we with more have more to distract us from giving freely and faithfully.That is exactly how Jesus gave his life in his passion, which followed not long after the way the poor widow gave her offering in the temple that day! Jesus’ confident faith freed him to die in order to live, giving our lives new purpose.
What is our new purpose? This parable of Jesus is less about money and more about our manner of living. Because we eagerly await him, this is our new purpose: we desire to make Jesus’ faith ours and to put Jesus’ faith into action until he comes to bring salvation to us and to many who will come to know him because of our manner of living.
In your daily 15 minutes with Jesus this week, ease into an awareness of the Trinity recreating you. Ask the poor widow to present you to Jesus. Thank Jesus for you faith and consider how freely you live your faith: Am I a good steward of God’s many gifts? Am I a loving steward, or am I an anxious steward, who needs to manage anxiety more than God’s gifts? Ask Jesus for the grace to live your faith more freely. Close by saying slowly the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus gave it to us to say daily, so we might live more freely this day, this hour, this moment. For not by our schemes but by faith’s freedom are we parables for each other and everyone we meet.
What is our new purpose? This parable of Jesus is less about money and more about our manner of living. Because we eagerly await him, this is our new purpose: we desire to make Jesus’ faith ours and to put Jesus’ faith into action until he comes to bring salvation to us and to many who will come to know him because of our manner of living.
In your daily 15 minutes with Jesus this week, ease into an awareness of the Trinity recreating you. Ask the poor widow to present you to Jesus. Thank Jesus for you faith and consider how freely you live your faith: Am I a good steward of God’s many gifts? Am I a loving steward, or am I an anxious steward, who needs to manage anxiety more than God’s gifts? Ask Jesus for the grace to live your faith more freely. Close by saying slowly the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus gave it to us to say daily, so we might live more freely this day, this hour, this moment. For not by our schemes but by faith’s freedom are we parables for each other and everyone we meet.
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1. Mark 8.31-33; 9.30-32; 10.32-34.
2. At the 1:50 mark of the video above the viewer enters a colonnade on one side of the Court of Women, which was the area of the Treasury
_________________________
Wiki-image rising sun seen through a hole in the Temple wall is in the public domain.
1. Mark 8.31-33; 9.30-32; 10.32-34.
2. At the 1:50 mark of the video above the viewer enters a colonnade on one side of the Court of Women, which was the area of the Treasury
_________________________
Wiki-image rising sun seen through a hole in the Temple wall is in the public domain.
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