OFFERING OURSELVES COMPLETELY TO GOD

 “SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER”

Daily Spiritual Reflections

7th November 2021

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SUNDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

1 Kgs 17:10-16;    Ps 146:7-10;    Heb 9:24-28;    Mk 12:38-44

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OFFERING OURSELVES COMPLETELY TO GOD

Every Sabbath, at the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, there was a queue leading to a small square room lined with metal collection boxes having metal horns extending out of them, to receive the offerings of the people. The coins made a constant clanging noise as coins were cast into the receptacles. But this Sabbath, Jesus after making his offering, stands over in the corner, watching everyone, is impressed by a widow who put in her two copper coins. 

The scribes of Jesus’ day were experts in the Law of Moses, scholars to whom people turned for a proper understanding of the divine will as revealed in the scriptures, which was God’s gift to them. But in today’s gospel, Jesus exposes the erroneous theology of the scribes and their bankrupt ethics, reflected in their craving for pre-eminence both in religious gatherings and in social settings. Jesus publicly criticizes their behaviour as a ceaseless grasping for honour among people. 

Jesus begins by condemning their popular scribal dress, a fairly easy target. He points out that the scribes liked “to be greeted with respect in the market places”, referring to the tradition which dictated that common people “in the market place” should respectfully rise to their feet when a scribe walked past. The Talmud notes that when two people meet in the marketplace, the one inferior in the knowledge of the Law should greet the other first. But the scribes began to feel that such respect was their right, owed to them for their learning in the Law, and this made them arrogant and proud. 

Likewise, at banquets and dinner parties, when rich men invited scribes and perhaps some of their pupils as guests, they would give these men prominent seats. Similarly, the scribe’s synagogue seat of honour placed him upfront with the Torah, facing the congregation. Scribes were seated on a platform facing the people, resting their backs against the same wall that held the box which contained the Torah scrolls. The problem Jesus pinpoints is that the scribes had confused the respect intended for the position they held with respect given them for their own abilities and accomplishments. Jesus also accuses the Scribes of offering long prayers to God, whether in the synagogue or Temple or some other highly public place, not as an attempt to seek God’s will or praise his holy name, but as a means of asserting their superior piety. 

The Jewish scribes of the first century were not paid for their work, as they were not considered as belonging to a professional, self-supporting group. Thus, despite their position in society, many scribes were downright poor, and thus the people supported the scribes. Devouring widows’ houses is Jesus’ condemnatory description of the source of the luxurious lives led by those scribes who impoverished the gullible and pious widows volunteering to support them. The reference to “widows’ houses” could also refer to the scribes’ tendency to abuse their powers as trustees for the estates of wealthy widows. Besides, these authorities were bound to distribute temple collections to the widows and the needy. But in actuality, they spent the funds on conspicuous consumption: long robes and banquets and temple decorations. This is how they devoured the estates of widows. These attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees are condemned by Jesus in today’s gospel. While doing so, he also highlights the attitude of the poor widow who trusted in God’s providence and offered herself totally for God’s glory. 

Power and position often lead people, even religious leaders, to material greed and corruption. If the persons’ priority is not God then he becomes the slave of these vain things of the world and sells his/her own dignity. To walk in the way of light we need to take the example of the poor widow in today’s gospel. Concerned solely about being an obedient servant of God, the widow gave all she had as an offering, even her future, to the Lord. In other words, she gave herself totally into God’s hands with the sure conviction that he would give her the support she needed. And in Jesus’ words of praise, we are assured that God did not let her down.

Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord

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