This Sunday we commemorate the centenary of the ending of the First World War with the Armistice that took place on the 11th November 1918 at 11am. Over 200,000 people went to war from Ireland in the Irish and Ulster divisions and 36,000 of them did not return. the primary hope of that first Armistice Day in 1918, was that the first World War would have been “the war to end all wars Unfortunately, 100 years later that hope is still a distant dream. Today we thank god for all those who gave their tomorrows so that we have our todays. As we commemorate the centenary of the end of the first world war and remember all those who died in that war and in the various conflicts since 1918 let us redouble our efforts to Pray for peace and to be people of peace.
The dignitaries in This Sundays Gospel need more than a defence counsel, for Jesus is putting his case for the prosecution. The scribes were expert lawyers, who interpreted and applied the written Law through a complicated system of traditions. Jesus makes a series of charges against the scribes.
He criticises their habit of wearing distinctive dress, which marks them as different from others. He criticises their habit of taking the places of honour at religious and civil functions. He criticises their habit of long-winded prayers, made not to God but to their immediate audience. Finally, he denounces their practice of exploiting helpless widows by living off their savings. The story in the gospel goes on to tell us about the poor widow who went along to the treasury and puts in two of the smallest coins in circulation. In the arithmetic of the kingdom the widow’s offering is worth more than all the other contributions. Whereas the others give from their surplus, she gives everything she has. That is the key point in this gospel reading she gave everything she had the widow’s action follows immediately on his critique of the scribes who profit from their status . It is a warning to those leaders in ministry who bask in their own significance and live comfortably off the backs of those they serve. The Gospel story about the widows contribution to the treasury is a good lesson in having a proper perspective of oneself.
Her kind of humility is praised, as an honest thanks giving to God for all she has. This encourages us to try and stretch our resources rather than seeing the giving as an obligation or after thought, certainly giving from the heart rather than for show. And that is really what we should be about giving from the heart recognising that we need to be like the widow of the gospel who gave everything she had.
Fullerton T 