Mark 12:38-44

1 Kings 17:10-16

Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Hebrews 9:24-28

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I offer you all that I am. I recognize my utter poverty without you, but how rich I am with your grace. Earthly wealth is nothing in comparison to heavenly treasure. May I always seek to store up treasure with you and not give in to the temptations of this passing world.

Encountering the Word of God

1. How the Scribes Treated Widows: In the Gospel of Mark, the scribes are often cast as Jesus’ adversaries. The scribes were the Scholars of the Mosaic Law and its traditional interpretation. They accused Jesus of blasphemy when he forgave the sins of the paralytic (Mark 2:5-7) and were critical of Jesus’ eating with tax collectors and sinners (Mark 2:16). The scribes from Jerusalem attributed Jesus’ exorcisms to the power of the devil instead of the power of God’s Spirit (Mark 3:22). Eventually the scribes confronted Jesus and his disciples about not following the tradition of the elders. This gave Jesus an opportunity to reveal how they disregarded the heart of the divine commandments and attended more to their human traditions (Mark 7:8). Today, Jesus puts the crowds on guard against the practice of the scribes to seek places of honor and to seek money in exchange for their prayers. Scribes were forbidden to receive money for their teaching, and so they depended on private donations for their living (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 252). Instead of caring for widows who have lost their spouses, they are using their privileged status to exploit widows, and for this, they will receive a very severe condemnation.

2. How Elijah and Jesus Treated Widows: We see a stark contrast between how the scribes treated widows and how Elijah, in the Old Testament, treated the Gentile widow of Zarephath (in Sidon). Instead of asking for food in exchange for prayers, Elijah promised her a miracle that her food – the flour and oil – would not run out during the drought and famine. In the Gospels, Jesus works miracles greater than those of Elijah and his successor, Elisha. As he sits in the Temple precincts opposite the treasury, he sees the intentions of the hearts of those who put money into the thirteen donation chests. Jesus has just denounced the false piety of the scribes. He now teaches about true piety, exemplified by the poor widow. By giving all she had, the destitute woman manifested her total dependence and reliance on God.

3. Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary: While the Gospel speaks about Jesus sitting in the earthly sanctuary, the Letter to the Hebrews speaks about Jesus’ entry into the heavenly sanctuary. The Letter to the Hebrews loves contrasts and draws one between the liturgy of the Day of Atonement and Christ’s Ascension. He speaks of appearing before the face of God. “When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies [on the Day of Atonement], he had to first hide himself by filling the room with a cloud of incense (Leviticus 16:13). Jesus, in contrast, has appeared before the face of God so that we too might see God’s face (see 1 John 3:2)” (Healy, Hebrews, 187). The High priest bore the names of the twelve tribes on his breastplate. Jesus appears before God to intercede for each one of us by name. The High Priest would bring the blood of animals into the earthly Holy of Holies. But this blood was ineffective in taking away humanity’s sins. Jesus, by contrast, entered into the heavenly sanctuary with his own flesh and blood. And his one sacrifice effectively took away our sins and offers us salvation. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, intercede for me at the Father’s right hand. Ask for what I most need and be my advocate. I offer you my good works to present before the Father. I ask pardon for my sinful actions and thoughts and ask that you purify me with your blood.

Living the Word of God: How am I treating those I interact with? Do I tend to think first what they can do for me or give me if I am attentive to them? Do I base what I will do for them on what I will get in return? Am I always calculating my return on investment instead of trusting in the Lord to repay me for my good deeds?