Who gets Jesus? This weekend we hear again from the Gospel of Mark whom we have been listening to for a good part of the past year—and as we soon end this current Liturgical Year (with the coming of Advent) we will say goodbye to the Markan Gospel. Today we hear about a poor widow who put into the Temple Treasury the equivalent of about two (2) cents while other, more well-to-do members gave larger sums of money. And yet, the Lord considers the widows gift to be of greater value than “the larger sums.” Why?

As the Lord tells us—the widow gave from what little she had, her poverty. The two cents
emptied her pocketbook and perhaps she had no money left for food or other daily expenses but that did not stop her. The wealthy gave to the treasury from their surplus, their abundance--and we can image that that donation did not impact the choices for dinner or oil for their lamps.

The great scripture scholar, the late Fr. Daniel Harrington, S.J., who until his death was chair of
Theology at Boston College, wrote a commentary on the Markan Gospel speaking to Mark’s use of “minor characters” who understood Jesus and His message in contrast to Jesus’ own Apostles and disciples and their lack of understanding. Father Harrington notes “minor characters” such as today’s widow who gave out of humility or the scribe last week who asked Jesus which was the first of all the commandments, or even the Centurion on Calvary. An outsider, who declared Jesus as the Son of God—these “minor characters,” came to understand Jesus and His
message more easily than those closest to the Lord. Why? Because they allowed their hearts to be open to “genuine holiness and so it resided in them through a humble spirit,” as Fr. Harrington notes.

Today’s gospel message is not about the “size of the check” but rather it is about being in right
relationship with God and those around us—our neighbors—and doing what we can with the gifts we have.

Humility is key!