Weekly Meditation for Nov 8th

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Weekly Meditation
By Christine White

Mark 12:38-45
As he taught, he said, 'Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.'

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, 'Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.'

The catchword "widow" links these two pericopes together. In the first story, Jesus condemns the scribes for using their position to be an agent contributing to the poverty of most widows rather than the role that Jesus sees for them as an advocate for widows, defending and seeking justice for them.

In the second story, Jesus starkly contrasts the deficient character of the wealthy who make a show of giving from their abundance with the humble character of the widow who quietly gives all she had. His praise for the widow does not imply that Jesus approves of the social conditions that have created her poverty. Some suggest that not only is Jesus condemning the scribes whose rich taste is linked to "devouring the houses of widows" but also the religious system that taught this woman that God demanded (and in some religions still demands) such a sacrifice from the poor of the world.

This story poses the same challenge to readers today as it did 2000 years ago. Amos, Chapter 5, contains a prophetic condemnation of the rich within the sanctuary of the temple who foster injustice that reduces others in society to poverty:
"I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies
Even though you offer me your burnt
Offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
And the offerings of well-being
Of your fatted animals
I will not look upon them.
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps."

By our deeds, we the people of MetropolitanCommunityChurch are defining ourselves more and more every year as a social justice church. Both the Mark and the Amos stories indicate that this is a mission that God finds worthy. The Amos passage ends with these words:
"But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever flowing stream."

May God bless us as we provide sanctuary and seek justice for those who cannot do it for themselves.