32nd Sunday of Ordinary time: 2024 Year B

Mark 12:38-44 “A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents."

In this gospel we see “A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.” And we are told that “she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had.” Here we see a beautiful act of faith. She puts God first before she thinks of herself. She gives to God and entrusts herself to Him. And we see how it does not go unnoticed, how God sees and is pleased. "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury.” God does not concern Himself with the value of the thing given but rather the manner in which it is given. A gift given in faith, hope, trust and love. A sacrifice made in goodwill and cheer is pleasing to God. To help you understand where the value of a good deed lays imagine a toddler, what could a toddler give you which you would cherish? A half eaten soggy cookie, plastic toys, a bottle of milk? The toddler can only give you what you have already given it, and they will probably give it back covered in spit. Imagine the toddler trying to help with the housewo-rk, would they not just slow you down? All that we have has been given to us from God and all we can do is nothing before God. The one thing which we and toddlers can give is love and joyful gratefulness.

St Augustine ( Sermon 97) says: "The rich man is called to give generously, but the poor widow is called to give humbly. It is not the size of the gift that matters, but the love with which it is given. The poor widow gave everything she had, and this is what made her gift so great in the eyes of God."

St. Gregory the Great says: "The widow's two small coins represent a complete self-offering to God. In her poverty, she had nothing to hold back, and by this act, she shows a perfect trust in God's providence. This is the true meaning of poverty, not in lacking material goods, but in the total surrender of oneself to the will of God."

St. Bernard of Clairvaux says: "The widow, by giving her two small coins, gave not only her money but her heart, and thus she made herself rich in the sight of God. For the heart that is not attached to wealth can possess all things in Christ. Let us then imitate her simplicity and purity of heart in all that we give."

The first reading we see this same sacrifice, Elijah goes to a town to a widow and asks for food and drink. The widow says, “As the LORD, your God, lives, I have [...] only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die." Elijah says to her "Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.” The widow does so, providing for God’s prophet before her own son. Having chosen to give to God first we see how God gives to her and her son providing for them for a year. “The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.”

Matthew 6:33 “[S]eek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

This truth we see throughout the lives of the saints. Whether it be St Francis or Don Bosco, God alway provided for them in their needs.

St Leonard de Port Maurice recounts a story of two craftsmen who pursued the same trade. One was doing well, married with children and financially stable; the other doing not so well, married without children and financially struggling. The latter of the craftsman asked the first, “What is it you do? In your home there rains down every blessing of God, while I poor wretch, cannot hold up my head, and all sorts of calamities light on my house.” The first craftsmen responded, “I will tell you, tomorrow morning I shall be with you, and will point out the place from which I draw so much.” The Next morning he took him to church to hear Mass, and then led him back to his workshop; and so the two or three different times, will at last the poor man said, “If nothing else is wanted than to go to church to hear Mass, I know the way well enough without putting you to inconvenience.” “Just so,” said the other; “hear holy Mass, my friend, with devotion, everyday, and you will see a change on the face of your fortune.” And, in fact, so it was. Beginning to hear Mass every morning, he became well provided with work, shortly paid his debts, and put his house once more in capital condition.

“He who trusts himself is lost. He who trusts in God can do all things.” — St. Alphonsus Liguori

A quick story, a priest I know worked in a poor parish. He told me that All he had for the week was €80. He saw the statue of Our Lady in his church without any flowers and was moved by devotion to buy her some, spending the €80. That same evening he found a candle burning in front of the statue of Our Lady and in the money box of the candles was €80. From then on someone would put flowers under the statue.