The Widow's Offering Mk 12:41-44

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES.

The Bible Gospel of Mark Icon.

 During 2019, each week, I will write a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. If you are following this series for the first time, you will find this series under Scripture- New Testament- Gospel of Mark. 

Click here to read the first post in the series. I have written this series in different years (2012, 2015, 2018) with some irregularity, but am determined to complete this series this year since I am more than half way through this Gospel.

My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.  In today's post we explore chapter 12:41 -44 which is called The Widow’s Offering

THE WIDOW’S OFFERING.

The section of Mark’s Gospel (11:1-12:14) which describes the teaching of Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem, concludes with the brief story of a poor widow.  What adds to its human appeal is the scene of Jesus sitting silently in one of the temple courts, observing how the different people come to throw their money into one of the trumpet shaped chests placed along the walls to receive the offerings.

The widow is poor, one of the common people who welcome Jesus with delight (12:17). The contrast between her humble gesture and the behaviour of the scribes in the previous story is stark.  Their actions were seen by Jesu to be proud and hypocritical. The widow’s action is sincere, and her offering to God is total.

The two little copper coins may have been ‘lepta’, the smallest coins in circulation at Jerusalem. Tow of them would add to more than one cent.  Her gift in itself is practically valueless.

Jesu emphasises the importance of what he says by the characteristic expression, ‘’truly I say to you’. How Jesus comes to know all about the widow does not interest Mark.

He does not necessarily suggest that the knowledge of Jesus is supernatural.  He surprises his disciples by saying that the poor widow has given more than all the others.  Jesus hold up her action as model of the total giving of one to God which he asks of His disciples.

This is the last of all the teachings of Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem. Mark places it here as kind of climax to all that Jesus has taught in the temple. In fact, to all his teaching for the disciples about his way, since the times of Caesarea Philippi (8:31).  It sump up His teaching on the need in true disciples for total surrender. The widow offers all she has to God.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS.

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?

• Imagine that you are the widow- What do you see and hear and feel. What can I learn from this?
• Imagine being the one of the people observing the action of the widow and listening to the comment of Jesus about her offering.
• What inconsistencies in myself do I want to bring to Jesus? 

• What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of disciple mean to me?
• How does Jesus make clear His teaching to me in this passage?
  
  
• Consider a situation in your life today where the teaching of Jesus needs to be applied. Why is it difficult to be challenged on a long-held view and be open to viewing it differently? 

•       Pray for people called to be God’s servants and messengers in places and situations where they are treated badly. Is there a situation or a person in your parish who is treated badly for doing the right thing and therefore is not loved by parishioners in accordance with this commandment of love?

• Consider how much my faith and love gives a special ‘taste’ to my day to day living as a Christian, that is, one who follows Jesus as the Christ?

• What are the areas in my life I need to bring to Jesus in the light of this parable? What questions do I want to ask Him?

• Am I willing to look into myself with honesty and ask how much do I grasp what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this teaching?