Good morning. A lot has happened since we last gathered together. On a bright note, We got to the other side of this election. Everyone is safe, and there's a lot to be grateful for in that.
The Bishop at the Diocesan Convention yesterday (here in White Plains) reminded us how many elections the people of our diocese have been through. Taking the long view does help--I try to do that here at St. James. And look, I’m aware we have people from both sides of the aisle in this congregation but for many of you here, last Tuesday’s election didn’t go the way you’d hoped, and I want to recognize that. We’ll be okay. We have our church, we have each other. We have a lot to be thankful for.
And I’m grateful for the fact that we’re not all of the same mind. To those who are happy with where we are right now, be sensitive to those around you who aren’t. And to those who are grieving, remember those who are not. We can accommodate all those feelings. We’re the church. We’ve seen a lot. And we stick together. Amen?
Our purpose, week after week, year after year, century after century, Is to tell the Good News. Our confirmation kids know this: the word "Gospel” means “Good News.” No one knows who first coined that word, but it may have been the Gospel writer Luke. We know it didn’t appear before the first century. We hear “Gospel” and think it’s just a word that always existed. It didn’t--it was invented, by some early Christian, to describe the life of Jesus. Gospel: Good News.
The centerpiece of our readings every week is, the Gospel Reading. The Good news. Telling that, is our purpose. The Good News can be hard news, but it’s still good news.
Today’s Gospel is about the widow’s offering--the "widow’s mite," the King James’ translation of the coins, the meager coins, a widow puts into the Temple Treasury as Jesus and the disciples look on. Just before her, some wealthy people walk up and put their contribution into the box, maybe thinking a bit too much of themselves. Then she approaches, puts in her offering of two small coins--”mites”--a fraction of a penny, each one.
All these people, Jesus says, have given out of their abundance. They have plenty more where these gifts came from. But this woman has given everything she has. She’s given out of her poverty, the greater gift.
It needs to be noted that in the context of Mark’s Gospel, this passage is part of a larger and scathing critique of the religious Temple structure. Jesus has just lambasted the clergy, who walk around in their fancy robes and say long, self-important prayers for everyone to hear. It’s one of life’s enduring mysteries that people of faith can be such scoundrels, especially those in charge. Perhaps we expect that of other institutions, but somehow it never ceases to surprise us when it’s the church. Or temple, or mosque, or meditation center.
So, taken in its larger context in Mark’s Gospel, this passage raises questions, like: Why does this woman, who, as a widow dependent on her faith leaders, and who should be taken care of by those in charge, have so little to give? And Why are they allowing her to give every last bit of her meager belongings to the treasury when a portion of that collection is supposed to be taking care of her?
Our duty as Christians is to protect the poor and the vulnerable, to speak out against individuals and institutions that take advantage of those without power to fend for themselves. I trust that everyone here, however you voted last week, was guided by our absolutely clear and fundamental Christian commitment to protect the weak and the powerless among us. Before anything else, that’s what this reading is about. That’s the good news: the call to defend and protect and to create a world where all can walk God’s light and love, because that’s what we’re made for.
All that said, We tend in the church (as we did this morning) to read this story of the widow’s offering outside of the larger context in Mark’s Gospel. Which misses the whole critique of the powerful, but offers (still) another and also important lesson: that we’re called, like this widow, to give out of our poverty. To give not just when it’s comfortable, or convenient, or we’re in a good mood, but when (for whatever reasons), it’s hard.
This isn’t just a message about our finances, though it’s definitely that. Many churches like ours are in their Annual Appeal season, trying to secure financial pledges from our members so we can keep doing the work we do, work which is always but now very important. But it’s not just a lesson about money. Money is an easy example because it’s obvious. Our behaviors around it aren’t subtle. Our holding onto it (or letting go of it) is quantifiable. Unlike with other things--our attention, our patience, our goodwill.
Jesus loved to use money (above anything else) as a measure of our generosity, but he’s never talking about just money.
With money, and so many things, We tend to feel there’s never enough. That there’s some far off horizon where we’ll be comfortable, and therefore generous. We’re never going to reach it. It’s about mindset, not the reality, of our resources. Just look at this old lady, this widow, who walks up, and puts everything she has into the offering plate. She gives not out of her abundance, like all those others who gave to the offering before her. She gives out of her poverty.
I want to tell this to parents of young children--and to the rest of us, because we’re never too old to change: Teach your kids to be generous (of spirit, of money) before they know what wealth is. What scarcity is. Before they know about comparing themselves. Before giving seems like subtracting from what they have. Giving--and again, the financial aspect of this is just the most obvious--giving, of your money, your time, your love, your attention, compassion, is adding, not subtracting, from who you are and what you have.
Let’s be generous. Let’s know how lucky we are. Let’s change our mindset Now, today. Think of this widow as that great-great-great grandmother before you, whose life was forged in hardship and sacrifice and who would want you to understand all this.
Be generous, In every way you can.
Amen.