Was it right that she,
compelled to give, gave
ALL (in copper coins)
and slipped away,
while those less generous with
their wealth
were lauded and applauded
as they
poured gold
into the
treasury vaults?
Did they even see her?
Could she have been his mother, or his,
those rich ones,
who using a loop hole in the law
ignored their parents need
to gain greater acclaim
at the temple gates…?
This Sunday's Gospel reading is again a familiar story, we see Jesus watching the folk approaching the treasury collecting boxes and making their offerings. Amongst the ostentatious showy giving of the rich whose gold takes time to flow into the treasury he draws our attention to the widow, who in obedience to God has come with what at first sight seems to be a meagre offering…, and yet it is not meagre, for it is all that she has.
Jesus has already criticised the rich, the Scribes and Pharisees for the way that they exploit the law to deny their parents any support, giving instead to the temple. The question is raised, is she doubly a victim, first of neglect, and then of oppressive teaching that makes such sacrificial demands of her?
Giving all that she has, she places herself into the hands of God, is Jesus in effect daring us to dare to be generous, the rich, the Scribes and the Pharisees could have offered her aid, without reducing their giving to the temple treasury.
In the light of the climate change agenda, of war in Afghanistan and so many other places in the world how does this kind of generosity challenge the rich western nations?
In the light of the ongoing "credit crunch" how does this challenge us as we head towards the gluttony and orgy consumerism that so often accompanies Christmas?
How can we be like the poor widow, and how should we treat the poor amongst us?
The trouble is, I think that we know the answers; they quite simply make us uncomfortable! Will we choose to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying?
