Poor Widow?

"...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.”

This ending of Saturday's Gospel reading reminds me of an opinion piece in Friday’s Cape Cod Times written by one of my favorite teachers, Larry Brown.  Years ago, he taught both my sons at Cape Cod Academy.  It’s entitled “What does God want? 

Larry talks about recent polls indicating that Americans are walking away from organized religion because they feel religion actually causes more suffering than it relieves.  He describes the conflict between different faiths with each believing that they are right and everyone else is wrong especially about salvation.  As Larry said, “Many of us believe someone can be generous, honest, and kind, but if he or she does not believe in the right doctrine, we believe they are lost.”

I suspect he’s right.  Regardless of our religion, whether were Catholics, Muslims, or Jews, many of us feel this way.  That’s one reason why many Americans especially young Americans are abandoning organized religion. They recognize our arrogance.

Here’s where we can learn from our best teacher, Jesus who speaks to us today.  He tells us to be like the poor widow showing great sacrifice and generosity, as well as honesty and kindness. That’s what God wants from us.  That’s how we are saved.

Deacon David Pierce