HOMILY FOR 32nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME-B

IN TODAY’S GOSPEL ST. MARK RELATES TWO INCIDENTS IN JESUS LIFE: THE FIRST TELLS US WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AND THE SECOND TELLS US VERY STRONGLY WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS.

IN THE FIRST EPISODE, JESUS IS TAKING ON THE SCRIBES WHO ARE TRADING ON THEIR DETAILED KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW FOR PERSONAL GAIN.  SPECIFICALLY, JESUS IS MAKING THREE POINTS.  FIRST, HE WARNS AGAINST THE DESIRE FOR PROMINENCE.  THOSE WHO ACCEPT OFFICE IN THE CHURCH, BE IT A CLERIC OR A LAYPERSON, MUST DO SO IN ORDER TO OFFER SERVICE TO GOD’S PEOPLE, NOT TO EXALT THEMSELVES.  DOING WORK FOR THE CHURCH IS A RESPONSIBILITY, NOT A PRIVILEGE TO BE EXPLOITED.

SECONDLY, JESUS CONDEMNS THE DESIRE FOR DEFERENCE.  A BASIC FACT OF CHRISTIANITY IS THAT IT OUGHT TO MAKE US SELFLESS RATHER THAN SELFISH.  THERE IS AN OLD STORY OF A VERY HUMBLE AND HOLY MONK WHO WAS SENT BY THE BISHOP TO BECOME THE ABBOT OF A MONASTERY.  WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE GATES OF THE MONASTERY, THE PORTER, WHICH IS WHAT THEY CALL THE GATE-KEEPER IN A MONASTERY, TOOK ONE LOOK AT HIS HUMBLE APPEARANCE AND SENT HIM TO WORK IN THE SCULLERY.  IT WASN’T UNTIL THE BISHOP CAME TO VISIT SOMETIME LATER THAT THE MISTAKE WAS DISCOVERED AND CORRECTED.  LIKE THE MONK AND LIKE JESUS HIMSELF, WE CHRISTIANS MUST COME TO SERVE AND NOT BE SERVED.  IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT WE CALL THE POPE “SERVUS SERVORUM DEI”, THE SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD.

THE THIRD POINT OUR LORD MAKES TAKES A LITTLE BACKGROUND.  BACK IN THOSE DAYS, THOSE WHO WERE LEARNED IN THE LAW WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE MONEY FOR THEIR TEACHINGS.  THEY HAD TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES SOME OTHER WAY.  SOME OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES DECIDED THE WAY TO AVOID HAVING TO WORK WAS TO “DEVOUR THE HOUSES OF WIDOWS” AS JESUS PUTS IT IN OUR GOSPEL.  IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WOULD CONVINCE WIDOWS THAT IT WOULD BE AN HONOR FOR THE POOR WOMAN TO SUPPORT THEM AND END UP TAKING EVERY PENNY THAT THE WOMAN HAD.  UNFORTUNATELY, IN CERTAIN CIRCLES, THIS IS NOT UNHEARD OF TODAY.  CHRISTIANS ARE CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD AND NOT FOR SELF-GAIN AND WHAT THEY CAN GET OUT OF IT.

SO WHAT THAT FIRST EPISODE TELLS US BOILS DOWN TO THIS:  BEING A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST  IS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN PUT INTO IT AND NOT WHAT WE CAN GET OUT OF IT.

THAT BRINGS US TO WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE WIDOW’S MITE.  THERE ARE THREE LEVELS OF MEANING HERE.  THE FIRST IS THE OBVIOUS ONE.  WE MUST SUPPORT OUR CHURCH THAT JESUS FOUNDED, BE WE RICH OR POOR.  THE CATECHISM TELLS US WE HAVE SEVERAL BASIC OBLIGATIONS AS CATHOLICS, WHAT ARE CALLED THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH: TO GO TO MASS ON SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION, TO CONFESS OUR SINS AND TO RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST ONCE A YEAR AT LEAST DURING THE EASTER SEASON, TO OBEY THE LAWS OF FAST AND ABSTINENCE, AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MATERIAL NEEDS OF THE CHURCH ACCORDING TO OUR ABILITY.

THERE’S THE QUESTION:  HOW MUCH SHOULD WE CONTRIBUTE.  THE GUIDELINE FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT IS OFTEN QUOTED IS 10% OF OUR INCOME.  BUT JESUS GIVES US ANOTHER AND DEEPER WAY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION IN HIS COMMENTS ON THE WIDOW.  THIS IS THE SECOND, DEEPER LEVEL OF MEANING.

THE FIRST THING WE KNOW IS THAT JESUS IS NOT CONCERNED SO MUCH WITH THE AMOUNT WE GIVE.  THE RICH PEOPLE IN THE STORY DID, AFTER ALL, GIVE MORE THAN THE WIDOW.  YET IT IS THE WIDOW WHOM CHRIST PRAISES AND THE RICH WHOM HE LAMENTS.

BACK IN THOSE DAYS, WIDOWS HAD A VERY HARD TIME.  ONCE THEIR HUSBANDS DIED, THEY WERE WITHOUT ANY MEANS OF SUPPORT AND COULDN’T EVEN INHERIT ANY OF THE HUSBAND’S ESTATE.  SO WHAT JESUS IS PRAISING IS THE WIDOW’S QUALITY OF GIVING, RATHER THAN THE QUANTITY.  WHAT SHE DID WAS TO GIVE HER ALL.  HER GIVING WAS DARING AND RECKLESS IN ONE SENSE BUT BEAUTIFUL IN ANOTHER.  SHE, IN EFFECT, WAS GIVING ALL HER GOODS TO GOD, REALLY IN EFFECT GIVING HERSELF TO GOD.  SHE WAS PLACING ALL HER TRUST IN GOD’S PROVIDENCE.

THE WIDOW IN OUR FIRST READING FROM 1ST KINGS DID THE SAME THING.  SHE GAVE HER ALL, EVEN IN THE FACE OF HER POSSIBLE DEATH AND THAT OF HER CHILD, TO HELP A PROPHET OF THE LORD.  SHE TRUSTED TOO IN GOD’S PROVIDENCE AND HER TRUST WAS, OF COURSE, REPAID BY THE LORD.

THAT’S THE ATTITUDE THAT SHOULD GUIDE OUR GIVING.  OUR GIVING SHOULD BE SACRIFICIAL AND EVEN RECKLESS TO A POINT.  WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS NOT THE AMOUNT GIVEN.  WHAT IS IMPORTANT ISTHE COST TO THE GIVER.  AS JESUS SAID, THE RICH GAVE OUT OF THEIR SURPLUS BUT THE WIDOW GAVE HER ALL.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE THIRD LEVEL WE CAN REACH AS WE CONSIDER THE STORY OF THE WIDOWS WE READ ABOUT TODAY AND THEIR SACRIFICES.  THIS LEVEL GOES BEYOND THE MATERIAL.

THERE IS SOMETHING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD BE ALSO BE GIVING TO THE LORD AND HIS WORK AND THAT IS OUR COMPLETE SELVES.  THIS IS HARD FOR US.  WE LIKE TO BE IN CONTROL.  IF WE LET GOD INTO OUR LIVES, WE WANT TO LET HIM INTO SPECIFIC PLACES WHERE HIS PRESENCE IS WHAT I WILL CALL “SAFE” FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.  WE WANT GOD IN OUR LIVES, BUT DO WE WANT HIM IN OUR LIVES ON OUR OWN TERMS OR HIS, IN CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR LIVES OR IN OUR WHOLE BEING?

ARE WE WITHHOLDING FROM GOD THE GIFT THAT HE WANTS THE MOST?  THE ULTIMATE GIFT THAT OUR LORD WANTS IS US, ALL OF US, EVERY JOT AND TITTLE OF US.  JUST LIKE OUR MATERIAL SUPPORT OF THE CHURCH SHOULD BE SACRIFICIAL AND RECKLESS, SO TOO SHOULD OUR ACCEPTANCE OF GOD INTO OUR LIVES.

ST. PAUL FOUGHT THAT SAME BATTLE WE FIGHT, THAT RELUCTANCE TO JUST PLACE OURSELVES COMPLETELY IN THE HANDS OF GOD, TO PUT EVERY PART OF OUR BEING AT GOD’S SERVICE.  IN 2ND CORINTHIANS 12, HE TELLS US WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO.  HE TELLS US THAT COMPLETE RELIANCE ON THE LORD, PLACING EVERYTHING IN HIS HANDS IS NOT WEAKNESS, BUT A SOURCE OF STRENGTH.

AND THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.  WHEN WE SACRIFICALLY AND RECKLESSLY GIVE OURSELVES TO GOD AND PUT OUR ENTIRE LIVES UNDER HIS CONTROL, WE CAN THEN CONDUCT OUR LIVES, NOT WITH THE PUNY HUMAN POWER THAT WE CAN PERSONALLY EXERCISE, BUT WITH THE INVINCIBLE POWER OF OUR GOD.

SO WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?  CHRISTIANS ARE NOT A PEOPLE WHO USE THEIR RELIGION TO ENHANCE THEMSELVES BUT A PEOPLE WHO COMPLETELY GIVE THEMSELVES TO GOD.