NOVEMBER 08, 2015 : THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME year B

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 155

Reading 11 KGS 17:10-16

In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
"Please bring along a bit of bread."
She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
'The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

Responsorial PsalmPS 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2HEB 9:24-28

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

AlleluiaMT 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMK 12:38-44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."

OrMK 12:41-44

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."

www.usccb.org

  32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.

1^st Reading - 1 Kings 17:10-16

What we now know as 1 and 2 Kings is designated in older Catholic Bibles as 3 and 4 Kings. Likewise, what we know as 1 and 2 Samuel is called 1 and 2 Kings in the older Catholic Bibles. This is because in the Hebrew Bible a division was made between the books of Samuel and Kings while the Septuagint (Greek translation) had only one division called the “books of kingdoms”. Protestant Bibles, because the followed the Hebrew canon have always had 1 and 2 Samuel followed by 1 and 2 Kings; just as they have always been missing the seven Old Testament books unique to the Septuagint (and Catholic Bible).

The books of 1 and 2 Kings in all modern Bibles are a compilation from various sources which record: 

1)     The last days of king David and the enthronement of Solomon (1 Kings 1 and 2). 

2)     The reign of king Solomon; his wisdom, the building of the temple, and the visit of the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13).

3)     Solomon’s fall and death (1 Kings 11).

4)     The division of the kingdom under Solomon’s son Rheoboam, and the history of the 2 kingdoms of Israel and Judah until the fall of Samaria and the extinction of the kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 12 through 2 Kings 17).

5)     The history of the kingdom of Judah until the Babylonian captivity in 586 B.C. (2 Kings 18-25).

1^st and 2^nd Kings actually form one continuous book. Hebrew tradition holds that this compilation was done by the Prophet Jeremiah (562-539 B.C.) during the Babylonian captivity. It was written for the Jews who had witnessed the catastrophe of 586 and for their children whose faith was wavering. It was intended to instruct and encourage them, to elicit from them acts of repentance for their past sins, and to renew their hopes for the future. It instructs the exiles by demonstrating that Israel, through her kings, has been unfaithful to the covenant, and that God, far from being unfaithful to his part of the covenant, has remained faithful and patient with erring Israel long after Israel’s infidelity. God’s covenant is a holy family bond which cannot be annulled or retracted. The author returns repeatedly to the promise of perpetuity made to the Davidic dynasty, the Temple, and Jerusalem. It is upon the fulfillment of these promises that Israel must place her hopes for the future.

Today’s reading comes from the account of Elijah, Ahab, and the three year drought and is a prediction-fulfillment story.

¹⁰ [In those days, Elijah the prophet] left and went to Zarephath. 

Zarephath is a Sidonian town – a territory acknowledged as Baal’s, not Yahweh’s. Yet, the power of Yahweh has caused drought even there.

As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.” ¹¹ She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” ¹² “As the LORD, your God, lives,” she answered, “I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.” ¹³ “Do not be afraid,” Elijah said to her. “Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 

The promise

‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” ¹⁵ She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; ¹⁶ The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

The fulfillment. Although He caused the drought, Yahweh protects those whom He favors with miraculous food similar to manna (see Numbers 11:8).

2^nd Reading - Hebrews 9:24-28

Last week we looked at Chapter 7 as background for the reading. This week we must race through chapters 8 and 9 to gain the background: ^8:1 The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, ² a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up [we have a priest and a king, we have a priest-king]. ³ Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer [Jesus offers His glorified body on the ark of the covenant in heaven (Revelation 5:6)]. ⁴ If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts according to the law [the Levites]. ⁵ They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle. For he says, “See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain [see Ezekiel 36:26].” ⁶ Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. ⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. ⁸ But he finds fault with them and says: [what follows is quoted from Jeremiah 32:31-34 (Hebrews 8:8-12); the longest Old Testament quotation in the New Testament. It is also the only Old Testament text where the new covenant is specifically mentioned] “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ⁹ It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they did not stand by my covenant and I ignored them, says the Lord[this is quoted from the Greek (Septuagint). The Hebrew says “I became their master”. Recall that after the golden calf, man no longer had a father-son relationship with God but rather a master-slave relationship]. ¹⁰ But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts [see Ezekiel 36:26 where stony heart refers to the 10 commandments written on stone and heart of flesh is the new covenant laws of love which are written on the heart]. I will be their God [their Father], and they shall be my people [my family]. ¹¹ And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kinsman, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from least to greatest. ¹² For I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more.” ¹³ When he speaks of a “new” covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing. ^9:1 Now (even) the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. ² For a tabernacle was constructed, the outer one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of offering; this is called the Holy Place. ³ Behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, ⁴ in which were the gold [Gold signifies royalty. The gold described here is in the Holy of Holies, the divine place] altar of incense and the ark of the covenant entirely covered with gold. In it were the gold jar containing the manna, the staff of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant. ⁵ Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of expiation. Now is not the time to speak of these in detail. ⁶ With these arrangements for worship, the priests, in performing their service, go into the outer tabernacle repeatedly, ⁷but the high priest alone goes into the inner one once a year, not without blood that he offers for himself and for the sins of the people. ⁸ In this way the holy Spirit shows that the way into the sanctuary had not yet been revealed while the outer tabernacle still had its place [the old covenant. It is human, natural, physical, external, bodily. Internal transformation is needed to make it golden] (which is symbolic for the present age) [A time of transition between the old and new covenants. 40 years (A.D. 30 Christ is crucified, A.D.70 the temple {old covenant} is destroyed)]. ⁹ This is a symbol of the present time, in which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper in conscience [the old covenant is not effective – this implies that the new covenant is] ¹⁰ but only in matters of food and drink and various ritual washings: regulations concerning the flesh, imposed until the time of the new order [external regulations which perfect the body but not the soul]. ¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, ¹² he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves [the requirement for Aaron and his sons when first ordained as high priest (Leviticus 8)] but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption [the old covenant gave earthly redemption]. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit [the Holy Spirit] offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God [the old covenant purified persons by sprinkling – the new covenant purifies through drinking (the Eucharist)]. ¹⁵ For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. ¹⁶ Now where there is a will, the death of the testator must be established. ¹⁷ For a will takes effect only at death; it has no force while the testator is alive [the Greek word for “will”, “testament”, and “covenant” is the same. A more proper translation is “covenant” in all cases. {Rereading using “covenant:” ¹⁵ “For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. ¹⁶ Now where there is a covenant, the death of the testator must be established. ¹⁷ For a covenant takes effect only at death; it has no force while the testator is alive”}]. ¹⁸ Thus not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. ¹⁹ When every commandment had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves (and goats), together with water and crimson wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, “This is ‘the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined upon you.’” ²¹ In the same way, he sprinkled also the tabernacle and all the vessels of worship with blood. ²² According to the law almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. ²³ Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified by these rites, but the heavenly things themselves by better sacrifices than these.

²⁴                                    For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. 

See Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:3; Revelation 5:6.

²⁵                                    Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; ²⁶ if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. 

The sacrifice of Jesus the Christ is offered once, for all persons and for all time. The Holy of Holies no longer needs repeated consecration because Jesus continues to make His one offering there. The author rejects the notion of repeated sacrifices of Jesus, not the eternal continuance of His one sacrifice as is evidenced by the statement “at the end of the ages” – His sacrifice is offered eternally.  

²⁷    Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, 

The result of the fall of Adam and Eve

and after this the judgment, 

The particular judgment takes place immediately after death.

²⁸    so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many,

See Isaiah 53:12. This does not mean that He took on the sins of others, this would make Him a scapegoat. Instead, it means that He became the eternal sin offering that consecrated the Holy of Holies and made it possible for heaven to be opened and others to approach God to have their individual sins forgiven. We bear the responsibility for our own sins. We can commune directly with God, just as Adam and Eve could before the fall, just as the Israelites could before the golden calf. He has borne the curse which was imposed upon mankind because of their disobedience of the covenant. God has restored the conditions which had existed before the golden calf, and He has given us assurance that our sins have been forgiven through the priest (whom He has appointed to act in His Name to forgive sins).

will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Glory, eternal life, to those who have placed their hope in Him

Gospel - Mark 12:38-44

Last week’s reading, as you will recall, took place in Jerusalem after Jesus’ triumphal entry and before the beginning of His passion. At that time He told them when asked what was the greatest of the commandments “The first is, ‘Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’”

These are the opening words of the Shema, which the devout Jew recited (and still today prays) every day. Jesus then volunteered the second in importance: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus’ response surprised His listeners because the Pharisees had counted God’s commandments and these two were not among the 613.

As a way of introduction to today’s reading we will do a quick study of the three verses which join last week’s reading to this one: 

As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said, “How do the scribes claim that the Messiah is the son of David?  

God’s Messiah was commonly identified with a descendent of David and therefore a legitimate pretender to the throne of Israel (see 2 Samuel 7:11b-16). Jesus appears to challenge this view in the next two verses.

David himself, inspired by the holy Spirit, said: ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.’” 

Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1, a psalm quoted often in the New Testament by the evangelists to show Jesus’ prefigurement in the Old Testament. By ascribing the psalm to David, Jesus supports the traditionally accepted view that David was the author of the Psalms. Jesus further states that David wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

David himself calls him ‘lord’; so how is he his son?” (The) great crowd heard this with delight.  

Assuming that David is the speaker in Psalm 110, he must be talking about someone other than himself. The first “Lord” is God, the second “my lord” must be someone different from and superior to David (the Messiah). Therefore, the Messiah is not adequately and fully described simply as “the Son of David.”

³⁸    In the course of his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, 

The scribes were the interpreters of the Law, sort of like lawyers today. The robes were not necessarily prayer shawls but it is clear that these scribes (not necessarily all scribes) were putting themselves on public display with garments designed to enhance their prestige and honor.

³⁹    seats of honor in synagogues, 

Sit facing the people in front of the ark containing the biblical scrolls.  

and places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁰ They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. 

Lawyers in antiquity could serve as trustees of a widow’s estate. A common way of receiving their fee was to get a share of the estate. Those lawyers with a reputation for piety had a good chance to be selected as a trustee.

They will receive a very severe condemnation.” 

Because of their greed and hypocrisy, they will receive a stiff condemnation at the last judgment; just as it is said today that priests and teachers will receive closer scrutiny when they appear before the Lord.

⁴¹ He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.

He is sitting in judgment. Around the women’s court walls were thirteen trumpet-shaped chests for offerings.  

Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 

The small copper coins were the smallest denomination in circulation.

⁴³                                    Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. 

This verse requires the explanation of the following verse. It is not obvious why she contributed “more” (cents) than the others (dollars).

⁴⁴                                    For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

             

The explanation of the paradox of the previous verse is that the widow made a real sacrifice while the rest just gave some of their excess.

“Do not despair. One cannot buy heavenly things with money. ... If money could purchase such things, then the woman who deposited the two small copper coins would have received nothing very large. But since it was not money but rather her intention that prevailed, that woman received everything because she demonstrated firm conviction” [Saint John Chrysostom (between A.D. 398-404). Homilies On The Epistle To The

Philippians].

“The poor widow cast only two pennies into the treasury; yet because she gave all she had it is said of her that she surpassed all the rich in offering gifts to God. Such gifts are valued not by their weight but by the good will with which they are made” [Saint Jerome (ca. A.D.

406), Letter to Julian, No. 118, 5].

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS

http://www.scborromeo.org

Meditation: "This poor widow has put in more than the rest"

What is true religion and devotion to God? Jesus warns his disciples against the wrong kind of religion. In his denunciation of the scribes (the religious experts of his day), he warns against three things: seeking to promote and draw attention to oneself rather than looking for ways to lift up and encourage others; seeking honor, favors, and privileges for oneself rather than selfless service and generous giving for the welfare of others; and thirdly, attempting to use one's position and status (even a religious position) for self-advancement and personal gain. 

True religion is relating rightly to God and to one's neighbor with love, honor, and respect. The Lord Jesus puts his Holy Spirit within us so that we may be filled with the joy of his presence, the joy of true worship, and the joy of selfless giving and loving care for others. True reverence for God frees the heart to give liberally, both to bring greater glory and honor to God and to love and serve one's neighbor with a generous spirit and merciful heart. Ask the Lord Jesus to give you a Spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of his great love and care for you, and his desire to work in and through your for his glory and for the good of others.

Love doesn't calculate
Jesus taught his disciples a dramatic lesson in giving freely and generously with love. True love doesn't calculate or hold back - it spends lavishly and gives generously! Jesus drove this point home to his disciples while sitting in the temple and observing people offering their tithes. Jesus praised a poor widow who gave the smallest of coins in contrast with the rich who gave greater sums. How can someone in poverty give more than someone who has ample means? Jesus' answer is very simple: generous love is more precious than gold! 

Give with a gracious and generous heart
Jesus taught that real giving must come from the heart. A gift that is given with a grudge or for display loses its value. But a gift given out of love, with a spirit of generosity and sacrifice is invaluable. The amount or size of the gift doesn't matter as much as the cost to the giver. The poor widow could have kept one of her coins for herself, but instead she recklessly gave away all she had! Jesus praised someone who gave barely a penny - how insignificant a sum - because it was everything she had, her whole living. 

What we have to offer might look small and not worth much, but if we put all we have at the Lord's disposal, no matter how insignificant it may seem, then God can do with it and with us what is beyond our reckoning. Do you know the joy and freedom of giving freely and generously (liberally) to God and to neighbor?

"Lord Jesus, all that I have is yours. Take my life, my possessions, my time, and all that I have and use them as you desire for your glory."

www.dailyscripture.net

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, MARK 12:38-44
(1 Kings 17:10-16; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9:24-28

KEY VERSE: "For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty" (v 44).
TO KNOW: Jesus reproached the scribes who were making a public show of holiness and using their office for prestige rather than for service. Moreover, they ignored the Law of Moses that required aid for helpless widows and orphans (Ex 22: 21). Because they knew God's will, they were more culpable than those who were ignorant of the Law. Jesus contrasted their behavior with that of a poor widow. He observed that many rich people placed large donations from their surplus wealth in the temple treasury. This poor woman gave two small coins (leptons), all that she had to live on. She embodied Jesus' great command to love God and neighbor with one's entire being (Mk 12: 30-31).
TO LOVE: Do I share the gifts God has given me with an open heart and open hand?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to give generously to those in need. 

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Sunday 8 November, 2015

SUN 8TH. 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.1 Kings 17:10-16. Praise the Lord, my soul!—Ps 145(146):7-10. Hebrews 9:24-28. Mark 12:38-44.

Readings

‘…these are the men who swallow the property of widows…’

This perennial story, contrasting the rich and the poor, the supercilious and the humble, has been replicated over the centuries. Yet its message has rarely been as relevant as it is today. Readily coming to mind are issues of wealthy people practising tax evasion and bolstering enormous superannuation payouts for themselves way beyond what lower income earners can hope to achieve. We think of multinationals using tax havens to conceal their true earnings, thereby denying their own countries the benefits they are due. Then with the generosity of the poor widow we see war-torn countries taking in neighbouring refugees and are reminded of a flourishing nation, which denies people fleeing war and natural disaster a chance to taste their fruits or enjoy the freedom they could so easily share. Pray that those in power will learn justice and compassion from the poor, who can be their evangelisers.

www.pray.com.au

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Accepting One Another

If we try to see what is good in others and to accept what is broken in ourselves, we will come closer together, accepting one another as human beings created and loved by God. This spiritual growth is a double movement: growth in wonderment and growth in humility.

— from The Gospel of John, The Gospel of Relationship 

November 8
Blessed John Duns Scotus
(c. 1266-1308)

A humble man, John Duns Scotus has been one of the most influential Franciscans through the centuries.

Born at Duns in the county of Berwick, Scotland, John was descended from a wealthy farming family. In later years he was identified as John Duns Scotus to indicate the land of his birth; Scotia is the Latin name for Scotland.

John received the habit of the Friars Minor at Dumfries, where his uncle Elias Duns was superior. After novitiate John studied at Oxford and Paris and was ordained in 1291. More studies in Paris followed until 1297, when he returned to lecture at Oxford and Cambridge. Four years later he returned to Paris to teach and complete the requirements for the doctorate.

In an age when many people adopted whole systems of thought without qualification, John pointed out the richness of the Augustinian-Franciscan tradition, appreciated the wisdom of Aquinas, Aristotle and the Muslim philosophers—and still managed to be an independent thinker. That quality was proven in 1303 when King Philip the Fair tried to enlist the University of Paris on his side in a dispute with Pope Boniface VIII. John Duns Scotus dissented and was given three days to leave France.

In Scotus’s time, some philosophers held that people are basically determined by forces outside themselves. Free will is an illusion, they argued. An ever-practical man, Scotus said that if he started beating someone who denied free will, the person would immediately tell him to stop. But if Scotus didn’t really have a free will, how could he stop? John had a knack for finding illustrations his students could remember!

After a short stay in Oxford he returned to Paris, where he received the doctorate in 1305. He continued teaching there and in 1307 so ably defended the Immaculate Conception of Mary that the university officially adopted his position. That same year the minister general assigned him to the Franciscan school in Cologne where John died in 1308. He is buried in the Franciscan church near the famous Cologne cathedral.

Drawing on the work of John Duns Scotus, Pope Pius IX solemnly defined the Immaculate Conception of Mary in 1854. John Duns Scotus, the "Subtle Doctor," was beatified in 1993.

Comment:

Father Charles Balic, O.F.M., the foremost 20th-century authority on Scotus, has written: "The whole of Scotus's theology is dominated by the notion of love. The characteristic note of this love is its absolute freedom. As love becomes more perfect and intense, freedom becomes more noble and integral both in God and in man" (New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 1105).

Quote:

Intelligence hardly guarantees holiness. But John Duns Scotus was not only brilliant, he was also humble and prayerful—the exact combination St. Francis wanted in any friar who studied. In a day when French nationalism threatened the rights of the pope, Scotus sided with the papacy and paid the price. He also defended human freedom against those who would compromise it by determinism.

Ideas are important. John Duns Scotus placed his best thinking at the service of the human family and of the Church.

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO: 32ND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, November 8, 2015

Jesus, the Scribes and the widow
The different way of accounting in the Kingdom of God
Mark 12: 38-44

1. Opening prayer

Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.

2. Reading

a) A key to the reading:

The Gospel text of this Sunday presents us with two opposing but connected facts: on the one hand we have Jesus criticizing the Scribes who used religion to exploit poor widows, and, on the other hand, we have the example of the poor widow who gave to the Temple even what she had to live on. These facts are relevant even today!

b) A division of the text to help with the reading:

Mark 12:38-40: Jesus criticizes the exploitation of the Scribes
Mark 12:41-42: Jesus watches people who place their alms in the treasury of the Temple
Mark 12:43-44: Jesus reveals the value of the poor widow’s action

c) Text:

38 In his teaching he said, 'Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted respectfully in the market squares, 39 to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; 40 these are the men who devour the property of widows and for show offer long prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.'
41 He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, 'In truth I tell you, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; 44 for they have all put in money they could spare, but she in her poverty has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.'

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. Some questions

to help us in our personal reflection.

a) What pleased or struck you most in this text? Why?
b) What does Jesus criticize and what does he praise in the doctors of the Law?
c) What social and religious imbalances of that period do we find in the text?
d) How is it that the two coins of the widow are of more value than the great amount put in by the rich? Look carefully at the text and see what follows: “Why does Jesus praise the poor widow?”
e) What message does this text convey to us today?

5. For those who wish to go deeper into the theme

a) Yesterday’s and today’s context:

● The context in Jesus’ time.
Mark’s text 12:38-44 recounts the last part of Jesus’ activities in Jerusalem (Mk 11:1 to 12:44). Those were very intense days, full of conflicts: the driving out of the sellers in the Temple (Mk 11:12-26), and many discussions with the authorities: (Mk 11:27 to 12:12), with the Pharisees, with the Herodians and the Sadducees (Mk 12:13-27) and with the doctors of the Law (Mk 12:28-37). This Sunday’s text (Mk 12:38-44) reports a final word of criticism by Jesus concerning the bad behaviour of the doctors of the Law (Mk 12:38-40) and a word of praise for the good behaviour of the widow. Almost at the end of his activities in Jerusalem, Jesus sits in front of the treasury where people were putting their alms for the Temple. Jesus draws the disciples’ attention to the action of a poor widow and teaches them the value of sharing (Mk 12:41-44).

● The context in Mark’s time.
During the first forty years of the Church’s history, from the 30’s to the 70’s, the Christian communities, for the most part, were made up of poor people (1Cor 1:26). Later some rich people or those who had various problems joined them. The social tensions that existed in the Roman Empire, began to be felt also in the life of the communities. For instance, divisions came to the fore when the communities came together to celebrate the supper (1Cor 11:20-22), or when they met together (James 2:1-4). Thus, the teaching concerning the action of the widow was very real for them. It was like looking into a mirror, because Jesus compares the behaviour of the rich with that of the poor.

● Today’s context.
Jesus praises the poor widow because she could share more than the rich people did. Many poor today do the same. People say: The poor never allow another poor person to die of hunger. But sometimes even this is not true. Donna Cícera, a poor lady who went from the country to the periphery of a great city used to say: “In the country, I was very poor, but I always had something to share with another poor person who knocked on my door. Now that I am in the city, when I see a poor person who knocks on my door, I hide for shame because I have nothing to share!” Thus we see on the one hand rich people who have everything, and on the other poor people who have almost nothing to share, and yet share the little they have.

b) A commentary on the text:

Mark 12:38-40: Jesus criticizes the doctors of the Law.
Jesus draws his disciples’ attention to the hypocritical and exploiting behaviour of some doctors of the Law. “Doctors” or Scribes were those who taught people the Law of God. But they taught it only by word, because their lives witnessed to the opposite. They liked going about the squares wearing long tunics, accepting the greetings of people, taking first places in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets. In other words, they were people who wished to appear important. They used their knowledge and their profession as a means for climbing the social ladder and of enriching themselves, and not for serving. They liked to visit widows and recite long prayers in exchange for money! Jesus ends by saying: “The more severe will be the sentence they receive!”

Mark 12:41-42: The almsgiving of the widow.
Jesus and the disciples were seated in front of the treasury of the Temple and watched people placing their alms in the treasury. The poor gave a few cents, the rich put in bills of great value. The treasury became full. All gave something for the upkeep of the cult, to support the priests and for the maintenance of the Temple. Some of the money was used to help the poor, since in those days there was no social security. The poor depended on public charity. The most needy among the poor were the orphans and widows. They had nothing. They completely depended on the charity of others. But, even though they had nothing, they made an effort to share with others the little they had. Thus, a very poor widow places her alms in the treasury, just a few cents!

Mark 12:43-44: Jesus shows us where to find God’s will.
What is of greater value: the few cents of the widow or the thousand coins of the rich? For the disciples, the thousand coins of the rich were far more useful to perform acts of charity than the widow’s few cents. They thought that peoples’ problems could be solved by means of a lot of money. On the occasion of the multiplication of the loaves, they said to Jesus: “Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?” (Mk 6:37) Indeed, for those who think this way, the two cents of the widow are of no use. But Jesus says: “This poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury”. Jesus has different criteria. In calling the attention of the disciples to the action of the widow, he teaches them and us where we must look for the manifestation of God’s will, that is, in sharing. If today we shared the goods that God has placed in the universe for the whole of humanity, there would be neither poverty nor hunger. There would be enough for all and there would be some left over for others.

c) Further information: Almsgiving, sharing, wealth

The practice of almsgiving was very important for the Jews. It was considered a “good work” (Mt 6:1-4), because the law of the Old Testament said: “There will never cease to be poor people in the country, and that is why I am giving you this command: Always be open handed with your brother, and with anyone in your country who is in need and poor” (Dt 15:11). Alms placed in the treasury, whether for the cult or for the maintenance of the Temple or for those in need, orphans and widows, were considered an act pleasing to God. Almsgiving was a way of sharing with others, a way of recognizing that all goods and gifts belong to God and that we are but administrators of these gifts, so that there may be an abundance in this life for all.

It was from the book of Exodus that the people of Israel learnt the importance of almsgiving, of sharing. The forty years’ journey in the desert was necessary to overcome the desire for accumulation that came from the Pharaoh of Egypt and that was well implanted in the minds of the people. It is easy to leave Pharaoh’s country. It is difficult to free oneself of Pharaoh’s mentality. The ideology of the great is false and deceiving. It was necessary to experience hunger in the desert so as to learn that what is necessary for life is for all. This is what the Manna teaches: “No one who had collected more had too much, no one who had collected less had too little” (Ex 16:18).

But the tendency to accumulate was there all the time and was very strong. And it constantly reappears in the human heart. It is precisely because of this tendency to accumulate that the great empires in the history of humanity were formed. The desire to possess and to accumulate is at the very heart of the ideology of these human empires or kingdoms. Jesus points to the conversion required to enter the Kingdom of God. He says to the rich young man: “Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor” (Mk 10:21). This same requirement is echoed in the other Gospels: “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it” (Lk 12:33-34; Mt 6:9-20). Then Jesus adds the reason for this demand:“For wherever your treasure is, that is where your heart will be too”.

The practice of sharing, of almsgiving and of solidarity is one of the marks of the Spirit of Jesus, given to us on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13), and that he wishes to make present in the communities. The result of the outpouring of the Spirit is precisely this: “None of the members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from the sale of them, to present it to the apostles” (Acts 4:34-35ª; 2:44-45). These alms received by the apostles were not accumulated but were rather“then distributed to any who might be in need” (Acts 4:35b; 2:45).

On the one hand, the coming of rich people into the communities made it possible to expand Christianity, because these offered better conditions to the missionary movement. However, on the other hand, the accumulation of goods blocked the movement of solidarity and of sharing inspired by the force of the Spirit of Pentecost. James wishes to help such people to understand that they had gone the wrong way: “Well now you rich! Lament, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is rotting, your clothes are all moth-eaten.” (Jm 5:1-3). We all need to become students of that poor widow who shared what she had to live on, so as to learn the way to the Kingdom (Mk 12:41-44).

6. Praying a Psalm 62 (61)

God is strength and love

In God alone there is rest for my soul,
from him comes my safety;
he alone is my rock, my safety,
my stronghold so that I stand unshaken.
How much longer will you set on a victim,
all together, intent on murder,
like a rampart already leaning over,
a wall already damaged?
Trickery is their only plan,
deception their only pleasure,
with lies on their lips they pronounce a blessing,
with a curse in their hearts.

Rest in God alone, my soul!
He is the source of my hope.
He alone is my rock,
my safety, my stronghold,
so that I stand unwavering.
In God is my safety and my glory,
the rock of my strength.
In God is my refuge;
trust in him, you people, at all times.
Pour out your hearts to him,
God is a refuge for us.

Ordinary people are a mere puff of wind,
important people a delusion;
set both on the scales together,
and they are lighter than a puff of wind.
Put no trust in extortion,
no empty hopes in robbery;
however much wealth may multiply,
do not set your heart on it.
Once God has spoken,
twice have I heard this:
Strength belongs to God,
to you, Lord, faithful love;
and you repay everyone as their deeds deserve.

7. Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

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