Who are the poor? What does it mean to be poor?
In fact, each one of us have a definition of what poor means and who the poor are.
Some of us, trying to clarify will ask questions like: how is this person paid? Or how many possessions does he or she have?
In Brazil, for example, during the 70’s poor meant those who weren’t able to have any meat for a daily meal. During the 1980’s the poor had access only to chicken. Time and society changed the face of the poor.
But in our days and in our context, in your opinion, what does it mean to be poor?
Today we recited one of my favorite Psalms; Psalm 146. It is one the Psalms that Jesus heard while growing up, (through his life) in the synagogues where he went to pray. As a good Jewish man, Jesus would know the Psalms by heart or by repetition. In today’s Gospel, inspired by his religious education, Jesus decides to speak against false religion. The Psalmist reminds us of what God expect from us:
“Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!*
whose hope is in the LORD their God;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
and food to those who hunger.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind; *
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous;
the LORD cares for the stranger; *
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.”
It is clear that today’s Psalm talks about those who have little or almost nothing; no property, no health, no freedom of coming and going; about those who suffer from social injustice or social exclusion. Growing up, Jesus learned from the Hebrew Scriptures that the underprivileged in his society were the orphan, the widow and the immigrant. (He has seen all three in his own life).
Since ancient times, these three categories didn’t have laws to preserve them from exploitation and social abuse. The word “widow” in Hebrew means “the silent one”. Silent because if a woman loses her husband, she has nothing, no voice.
In Jesus culture women were not allowed to speak in public. Without a husband, a woman has no voice. They are dependent on the kindness of others to survive. She has no means of her own, but she gives, and God smiles.
The story today says that Jesus saw this poor widow coming to the house of prayer and offering two of the smallest coins of her time, while the rich and the religious leaders were putting in lots of money. The difference between the two is that the wealthy is giving what is excess, abundance. The widow, however, is going beyond and giving more than her limits. Taking the risk of perhaps not having food for that day. What is the point Jesus wants to make here?
A colleague of mine once said that this is really a tricky Gospel to preach during the Stewardship season. The story of the widow is tragic because she has been tricked by the religious system. However, the Gospel of Mark presents a promise, that religious regimes that are abusive, manipulative and disconnected from the real message of God’s Kingdom, those regimes will fall. While this passage is found on Mark 12, the following chapter Jesus affirms: the Temple of Jerusalem, the center of the broken religion will fall and with the Temple all forms of oppression religion will fall with the building.
Aside of making a statement against all forms of religious hypocrisy that manipulate and abuse people, Jesus also offers some lessons:
A. Those who live a false religion will be judged by God with more rigor: God wants people who really act with kindness to one another and to serve one another. True Religion is about taking care of each other. It is about becoming family and caretakers.
B. The second lesson is that “giving is not about “how much”: The rich were giving lots, but it wasn’t about the quantity, it was about the intentionality. The widow who had little, gave more because she believed that offering would make a difference. If everyone gives a little more than the (their) limit, then together we can make a huge difference.
C. And that leads us to the next lesson: giving is about priorities: The Kingdom of God or my own comfort. Jesus taught us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth”. Is your money for you? Is your money enslaving you? Imprisoning you? Or Are you committed to seeing ministry happen?
How many times do we buy things we don’t need and forget to give some back to God?
Then we have to ask different questions: For example:
Do you need Jesus? Do you want Jesus?
What would a life without Jesus or his message would look like?
Do you want to see his Kingdom come and his will done on earth as it is heaven?
What are you going to do about it?
The Good News of Jesus Christ begins with concrete actions. Doctrines of the church may be pure thinking and theory, but what truly pleases God is action towards the needy, the sick, the poor, the excluded, the destitute. You don’t need to be an academic to please God. If someone is hungry, feed him. If someone is sick, visit him. If someone is in prison, go visit him.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Mt 5:3
D. And the last lesson we learned from today’s Gospel is that 'giving is an indicator of Spiritual health and maturity': Want a quick test of your commitment to the Kingdom? Check out what you give. Check your pattern of giving. And I’m not saying: to church. I am saying, check out where are you spending your money.
The act of giving or donating, can be also a spiritual practice. That means where you spend your time, your talents, and your treasure.
The widow in our story today pleased God. She, Jesus says, is your example. Through the action of giving many lives can be transformed.
In three weeks, we will be entering Advent. Advent is time of expectation for the birth of Jesus. It is also, the season in society when many poor families struggle to provide food and safety to their children.
If we can play the part of the widow this Advent, where would you offer your gifts, talents and time?
You can find inspiration in our bulletin. There is a list of projects that will promote life in the community.
Or perhaps, you will find your call to serve in a different project.
May we live like True religious people, serving one another and offering our gifts.
“Happy are they whose hope is in the LORD their God;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
and food to those who hunger.” Psalm 146
Sermon by Fr. Sam Dessordi Leite