Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR B THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY - 12.11.06 1 Kg 17,10-16; Hb 9,24-28; Mt 12,38-44 Christian-giving is self-giving
A
show of ‘davvening’ (=of lengthy praying).
Today’s story is from Mark, is subtle & is addressed to us who claim to be
Jesus’ disciples (‘talmidin’) keen to absorb his ‘Talmud’
(=discipline), viz. his wisdom & teaching. Typical of Mark, he sets
carefully his lesson- plan, reminding us that we readers are in it!. He sets the
scene in the greatest class-room, which is the Temple of Jerusalem (for us,
it’s the Church we go on Sundays). The bottom-line is that we are disciples
& students at the great Rabbinic School of Jesus who is the greatest Rabbi.
Only He can & does teach us the way to God (Halakha). In today’s lesson,
Mark singles out a group of teachers: he calls them ‘Scribes’ (in Jesus’
culture they were ‘Torah-teachers’, viz. Bible-Teachers, & some were
true-blue ‘Bible-Bashers’, people who used the Bible for purposes other that
humbly walking with God. As in past, -even today- we have our
‘Bible-Bashers’. Mark criticizes them saying: they love to move around in
long robes, to be greeted obsequiously, to take front seats & places of
honour. All along, they swallow the property of widows - make a lengthy show of
“davvening” (=of praying). Both Mark & Matthew in 2,4+, say that all
Bible Bashers are show-off, arrogant & while chanting long prayers (=Davvening),
they swallow the property of poor widows, who because no longer rely on the
income of their dead husband, are poverty stricken. Sadly today, many Catholics
(individuals, prayer-groups & even people in high places at the Vatican) are
suspected to be power-seeking, plotting, hiding, scheming & swallowing
wealth of the poor. The reaction of so many to the saga of ‘Da Vinci Code’
is a clear sign that they see in religion nothing but a means to plot &
scheme for power. When
there’s nothing more to give, give yourself. Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are a timely
warning to us never to parade our religious attitudes, & never turn our
prayer-time into an arrogant spectacle of power, for other people to learn
that they are nothing. In
today’s story Jesus points to a unique model for us to follow as we search for
authentic discipleship & Christian holiness: a poverty stricken widow, who
has nothing to give, & yet gives more than the rich & powerful: with her
‘widow’s mite’, she gives all she has
to live on. In the male dominated society of Jesus’ time, men -not
women- were expected to pay the Temple-Tax of half-shekel a year. Women were not
required, nor were the ‘poor widows’, who could no longer rely on the income
of their dead husband. Still, this poverty stricken widow, who has nothing but
one penny, gives her puny mite,
which is all she has to live on. This humble woman inspires us with her total
self giving, & in turn is a split image of the total ‘self-emptying &
self-giving’ of Jesus on the cross. Jesus makes her as an ideal disciple &
model to follow in her silent generosity, dedication, simplicity & witness.
Jesus warns us against any ‘show of lengthy praying for people to see’
(Hebrew for this is “Davvening”). Today we are challenged to test our
attitudes in public life & public prayer. Perhaps we too, love to be seen
‘in long robes - in front of all - in first places’. If this is so, let’s
own Jesus’ reproach & see us in danger of an empty lip-service, or worse,
in a spectacle of arrogant power over ‘little people in their simple &
sincere approach to God’. The only model of life & prayer we Christians
can claim is the person of Jesus Christ Himself: though he was God, he emptied
himself, was poorest of the poor, came to serve & gave himself in total
self-giving & surrender. From Him, we -the Lord’s little ones- learn to
trust his love & return back all we are & ‘have to live on’. _____________________________________ |
