November 11 // 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I: 1 Kings 17:10-16
Responsorial Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
Reading II: Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel: Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44

In today’s Gospel, Jesus, now in Jerusalem, speaks of the behavior of the scribes, and the donation of a poor widow. These were his final words to the crowds. (Jesus’ prophecies about the destruction of the Temple and the end times, found in chapter 13 of Mark’s Gospel, were addressed to his disciples.)

In a society that was largely illiterate, the scribes copied the sacred scriptures. They were respected as teachers of the scriptures and religious authorities.

Jesus, however, was far from impressed with those scribes who were obviously full of themselves and who exploited poor people, particularly widows.

As he watched people making donations to the Temple treasury, Jesus spoke about the widow whose two small coins were all she had. Jesus declared that her donation was worth more than the large amounts that people gave “from their surplus wealth.” Once again, he was pointing out that we can often see our God in people who are poor, and not necessarily in people who have “places of honor at banquets.”

This teaching is obviously about more than money. Christian discipleship is not just being nice. It can involve real sacrifice.

We have all been reading and hearing about the horrific conditions in Yemen. And we have had some terrible hate crimes committed in our own country in recent weeks. We might not be able to change things as individuals. But what should Christians as a community be doing? What must we do, if we want to be faithful and genuine disciples?