Contributing What We Value

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12:38-44.

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"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 contrast between the widow and the rich people tells us that God looks at the proportion of our generosity. We can choose to be generous but too often our generosity have limits. We run into the temptation of giving only what comfort allows. Jesus made the poor widow the standard of generosity. She gave even in her poverty and she gave everything she had.

The scribes, those well-versed in the scriptures in Jesus time, is the Gospel reading's negative example. Instead of giving, they hoard honor and riches. This opposition and contrast reminds us of the generosity expected of a Christian. We go through life not hoarding but giving. We are not to give from our surplus. We are to give from what we value.

The widow impressed Jesus because she mirrored what Jesus would do on the cross. He gave everything He had. As disciples of Christ, we are all spiritually poor by ourselves and Jesus invites us to drop in our last two small coins. What do we value most that we still need to give to the Lord?

A Hierarchy of Love

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12:28B-34.

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
'He is One and there is no other than he.'
And 'to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself'
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
"You are not far from the kingdom of God."
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

---

Reflection

The question which among the commandments tells us two things: one, that there are many commandments; and two, among these stands one that precedes all others. The Jews follow the Mosaic Law which contains 613 commandments that dictate on morals, worship, relationships, and even their diet. It was understandable that they should wonder which of these is the most important.

But life is not just about rules and procedures. To live is to live for something. True Christian discipleship possess meaning and purpose which shapes the whole of life. For Jesus, the main meaning of life, of the law, of discipleship, is a two-sided expression of love - the love of God and neighbor. Love shapes the kingdom of God.

There is no greater commandment than the command to love. Love sits at the highest throne in the kingdom. It gives the Christian his identity. It gives the law and commandments its spirit.

Sight for sight

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10:46-52.

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me."
Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?"
The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."
Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

---

Reflection

Bartimaeus was physically blind but he believed in Jesus. Though blind, he saw with the eyes of faith. His was a faith that was beyond superficial. For despite having others trying to silence the voice of his faith, he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Deprived of sight, he put everything in his voice. We can say that he put voice to his faith, not only audibly but above all in fighting against all odds just to reach Jesus.

Jesus was impressed by this. Having heard the faint call, Jesus answered back with a call. The cry for help was answered with an invitation to come. For most of us, faith awakens in dire situations; but always for God, it begins when He calls and invites us. Taking from His Father’s heart, Jesus asks, “what do you want me to do for you?”

Bartimaeus responds from the depths of his heart. He revealed to Jesus what he wanted the most - the gift of sight. Jesus opened his eyes by telling him that his eyes of faith opened his eyes of sight. Faith does not only gives us sight in the darkest of moments but in the light of Christ, it allows us to redirect our journey from our own with that of Jesus like Bartimaeus who started following Him after he regained his sight.