THE WIDOW’S MITE AND OUR MIGHT

HOMILY FOR THE 32^ND SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

REV. FR. EZEKOKA PETER ONYEKACHI

There are areas our minds easily move to whenever we read about the stories of the widow of Sidon in the Old Testament (First Reading: 1 Kings 17:10-16) or the widow of the widow’s mite in the New Testament (Gospel: Mark 12:34-44). And actually the two stories can be related to each other. Both widows, as we know were materially poor. The stories depict them as women who offered up all they had. And it is to this twin notion that our minds easily run to which then exhorts us to give generously, which for many should mean giving all we have got. Well, this has been a very favourite passage for many pastors and preachers whenever there is the need to encourage people to donate generously. However, beyond this popular lesson are great lessons which form the fulcrum of both stories of the Bible.

First of all, come to think of it: is it humanly wise and life promoting to give out everything one has got to live on, only to be faced with actual death situation? Should we think that God would implicitly permit us to do that knowing that he is the greatest promoter of life who provided even for his people in the wilderness? The story of the widow of Sidon is primarily the story of God’s care for the prophet. This is the foundation of this edifice. Let us not forget how Elijah began his movement in 1 Kings 17:8-9; It was a period of drought and the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there, for I have commanded a widow there to feed you. God takes care of those he has called to work for him. On a lighter but important mood, may be you may want to consider when next you are inclined to offer your last jar of meal whether you are the ‘widow of Zarephat’ or if there is the presence of ‘an Elijah’ in your home or again if there is ‘a period of drought’ in your land. Thus, the story goes beyond these considerations to expose the power of God to care for the prophet and the widow. Now, the building blocks of this story lies in the choice of God. God commanded a widow to feed Elijah. Why must it be a widow?

A widow was a nobody in that culture, but can be respected if she had a son. This widow of Zarephath had a son, but as we can imagine, he was not yet mature to fend for himself or her mother. That was why the widow was left to do all the works alone. So, the respect this widow ought to have had was still latent since her son was not yet ready to carter for her. It was a period of drought. And one would expect that if there was someone that would die first, it would be the little son. But God chose this woman to save her and her son. Was she the only widow? Not at all. All we can say is that it was God’s choice to protect and provide for the neglected person. Her yes to Elijah (and surely, God’s will) kept her and her son safe during that drought. God is interested in that person we neglect. God is interested in that talent we tend sidetrack as not needed. God makes himself evident especially when we are in lack. He left the homes of the rich and directed Elijah to the home of the poor, that the poor will be preserved too. God makes potent out latent resources. It is when we are in lack that God is in-charge. We may be like this widow of Zarephath and be in lack now in so many ways, but it should not be a reason for us to give up or not to say yes to God or even to feel neglected. How can you neglect yourself when God is most interested in you?

This is similar to the story of the Gospel. A poor widow offers her mite. A mite is simply a small coin which is rated at about half a farthing. She was praised by Jesus that she had offered the greatest gift; she had put in everything she possessed; all she had to live on. Does this not sound contradictory to the interpretation of the first reading? Well, we were not told again whether the woman went home to rest (without working or begging) to prepare for death. The popular interpretation of offering up everything is again not to be considered the direct lesson of this passage. Remember that Jesus had told his disciples to beware of the scribes for so many reasons. One outstanding reason was that they swallow the property of widows (cf. Mark 12:40). So, most probably, this poor widow represented one of such people whose property has been forcefully or cunningly taken by the scribes. So, as the rich offered stolen money into the box, this poor widow offered her hard-earned. This again points to God’s interest in the widow. If there was a direct lesson on giving, Jesus could have easily chosen a poor man or a poor woman as his example. But he was specific in his choice of a poor widow. This again ties to his criticism of the scribes who devour the widows’ property.

It is vivid to us in all our Scripture how God reveals his care for the widow, the poor, the fatherless, the homeless, and to the marginalized. Is this not what should be the basis for the liberation theology in our times? This passage is a clarion call for Christians to love and help the poor, and not to extort the poor in the guise of the widow’s mite. It is also exciting to see how that which is neglected turn out better than that which is honoured. People are inclined to treasure huge offerings, huge buildings, huge bank accounts, huge personalities, popular celebrities, and anything we can think of in this direction. Small offerings and donations, small buildings, small bank accounts, and small personalities are then left to suffer neglects and are taken to be negligible. Was it not Jesus who left ninety-nine to go in search of one? Was it not the little pieces of fish and loaves of the little boy that fed thousands? Was it not a stammerer who led the people out of Egypt? Was it not that little boy of Jesse in the fields who became a powerful king after God’s own heart? Was it not that neglected town of Nazareth where nothing good could come from that became the home of the Messiah? May be we have to remember such examples when next we find ourselves being inclined to neglect certain people, places and things, or even when we feel we are incompetent or negligible in the midst of others.

One of the causes of thinking ourselves small is the intrinsic worry of what people think about us. Someone had told me that he stopped coming to Church because he felt low of himself that during the offertory, as people stood up to walk towards the box or to give their offerings, he was left all alone and thus exposed as someone who had nothing to give. He wondered the image those seated beside him had of him. Now, it does not matter at any point in our worship the image other people may have of us. What matters is the image God has of us. He is interested in us. I hope we all remember this when next we worry a lot about what other people think about us than what God thinks about us. If the widow in the story of Jesus was thinking of what others may think of her at the sound of her two small coins inside the box, she might not have even offered the better gift to God, and we all must have been denied such an inspiring story Jesus made out of the scenario. Think about how you would deny others great inspiration and motivation by sitting back all alone in worry of what others might be thinking about you. Don’t be shy, come out with that little talent, treasure and time you have got to offer to God and to humanity, and it will surely marvel you how that little thing would be considered great. God bless you. Happy new week.