Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The widow’s mite is a powerful moment in the Gospel. The two small coins this poor woman places in the Temple treasury are worth very little in a monetary sense. Two “mites” added up to one of the smallest, least valuable Roman coins in circulation. Yet Jesus says that this poor widow has given more than anyone else, even those wealthier people who were giving large sums of money, for the woman gave even out of her poverty, even to the point that giving might hurt. The actual amount is of less import. This moment is powerful for another reason. Most lessons our Lord teaches come in the form of parables. This one, in contrast, comes from a real event. It is a reminder that Jesus does not just teach a philosophy or set of ideals. Rather, the Gospel lessons he offers us are both profound ideas and eminently practicable.

Jesus points out that the rich people putting large sums into the treasury are giving from their surplus wealth. He does not criticize them for doing so, as they are doing what is just. In keeping with the practice of the time, familiar even in our own day, the wealthy understood that they had a responsibility to use their wealth for a common good, in this particular case, to support the worshiping community by maintaining the Temple and its precincts. Every culture has some understanding of this responsibility. Those with means ought to help those who are less fortunate. This is why we praise philanthropy and recoil at behavior reminiscent of Ebenezer Scrooge (though we ought to do a better job of remembering the Scrooge changed in the end, and became a very generous man). This teaching of our Lord is incorporated into the Precepts of the Church. Those Precepts, by way of reminder are:

• Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
• Confess your sins at least once a year
• Receive the Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter season
• Observe the days of fasting and abstinence (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday)
• Provide for the temporal needs of the Church

The reason that the poor widow is given special consideration by our Lord is that she gives, not from a surplus, but from the depth of her poverty. Her lack of financial means makes the small monetary offering she places in the treasury a true sacrifice. All the Jewish people worshipping at the Temple share an obligation to give to the treasury according to their means. That the rich give according to their surplus wealth is a statement of fact, not a criticism. The widow receives this special praise because she not only gave according to her means, but in fact she went beyond what could be expected. Her love and the devotion that inspired such an offering is held out to us as a model to imitate.

This model is often called “stewardship,” and the widow represents one aspect of a stewardship model. We can call this a three-T model: Time, Talent, and Treasure. The widow, as well as the rich people putting in large sums, represents treasure. We are called to give according to our means, and even to give in a way that is sacrificial. This real-life story recounted in the Gospel allows us to pause and ask if we give to the Church in a way that is truly sacrificial. We are called to give of our talent, as well. Do I place my abilities and talents at the service of the Church? We are called to give of our time, as well. Time here refers not only to the time spent in worship with the community, but also to that time we give in service to our brothers and sisters as volunteers or participants in parish ministries. May the example of the widow’s mite, her sacrifice, and her devotion, inspire in each of us a more generous offering of our time, our talent, and our treasure, for the greater glory of God and the building up of His Kingdom here on earth.

Peace,

Fr. Sam