Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation. And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.
The Gospel reading for today is similar to the reading on February 21st. Then, it was from Mark's Gospel and today it is from Luke. Yet, the message is the same - A humble soul who gives all is rich towards God.
How the Scribes loved their long robes and respected greetings in the market place. How they loved the seats of honor in the synagogue and the important places at all the feasts. And how they looked down upon those poor who, in their view, was not blessed by God or else they would have been rich like them.
Yet this widow knew God. She, in her poverty trusted in the Lord who did provide for her and promised to be by her side. She knew that everything would be provided by God, since she had no one else to look after her. So why not give all in the offering? Since she knew it was all God's anyway. She had God and she was rich! How bankrupt the scribes were. Their long robes were as filthy rags to Eyes of God and in their conceit and pride, they knew not how poor they really were.
O Lord, clothe me in humility. Keep me from pride and may I always give all to you. For it is yours anyway. May the widow's mite be my offering too. Amen.
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