The Widow’s Mite

How much is enough?

  

 

38As he taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

41He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then 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. 44For 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."

Mark 12:38-44

The Widow’s Mite

CHRISTENSEN, James C.

Contemporary

Utah

United States

 

http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/details/default.asp?p=732&a=16&t=1&page=24&detailtype=artist

You may also read about the artist at this site.

 

 

Christensen says that the story of the widow's mite has long been one of his favorite moral tales. 

"The point here is not money," he says, "it's what we are willing to give of ourselves.”

 

Two mites

  

http://scripturehandmaidens.blogspot.com/2011/05/widows-mite.html

 

 

 

 

 

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep

to gain what he cannot lose.

~ Jim Elliot

 

 

 

Happiness is not having what you want,

but wanting what you have.

~ Rabbi Hyman Schachtel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dennis and Bob at Painted Toe Art Society on Tuesday.

We have now switched from Mondays to Tuesdays.

 

 

Johanna at Toes.

 

 

On Wednesday, Robin Alexander Sakamoto was honored by the Mayor (of their suburb in Tokyo) 

with an award for her service to the community! 

 

 

Joan Evashevski, Lynn Gilbert, Sharron Leonard and I had lunch together.

 

 

Our Friday speaker at Rotary was Martha Mitola, an Ultra Runner and the mother of one of our Rotarians.  In May, 2020, she lost her husband to Covid-19.  Turning to faith, family and a life-long passion of running, the summer brought healing in a most unusual way.  Finding herself sinking into incredible grief, she registered to run Race the USA (a virtual run due to Covid-19).  The challenge of completing 2,572 miles (San Francisco to NYC) in 107 days gave her time to work through the loss, the memories, and find meaningful peace.  She finished 3rd at the age of 71.  Over the previous 10 years, she has run races of 30, 50, 60 and 100 miles.  In early 2021, she ran 267 miles in 7 days, averaging 38 miles per day.



 

Ultra-marathon runners are often awarded belt buckles.  The one on the right is for a 100 mile race she ran in the Florida Keys.

 

 

Lynn and Jim Gilbert and I thoroughly enjoyed “Sylvia" on Friday evening!

Sylvia is a comedy and "also touches on something universal; our need for

unconditional love.”

 

 

This brazen female elk came right into our courtyard for lunch.

She kept her eye on me as I walked to my door.

 

 

 

 

 

If you give what you do not need,

it isn’t giving. *

~ Mother Theresa

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 7, 2021   Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost 

                   Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B  

 

Previous OPQs may be found at:

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

* Mother Teresa advised us that “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” The lesson of the widow’s mite is an enduring testament to the value of a small but meaningful contribution. It is proof that when our hearts are in the right place we can not only help but inspire others to be generous as well.

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

comic

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

 

The Story of the Symbolic Poppy

 

The poppy seed can lie for years before it spouts nodding buds and then blooms four crumpled petals. It is a vivid mix between red and orange in color. These simple flowers grew en mass over the grave sites on the Western Front. They soon became a symbol associated with Veterans. 

In the 1920’s people began selling paper poppies made to look like the wildflower. This provided assistance to ex-servicemen and their families. Today, the donations help build housing for seniors and support groups such as Meals-on-Wheels. People buy them to show their support for soldiers and their families. You will probably see someone selling them on Veterans Day, so help out if you can and wear your poppy proudly.

 

Veterans' Day

(formerly Armistice Day)

November 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Remembrance Sunday) 

Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 and Psalm 127 

OR 

1 Kings 17:8-16 and Psalm 146

Hebrews 9:24-28 

Mark 12:38-44

 

Summary

The wealth of faith in the poor of means is displayed in this famous story of the widow’s mite. The preacher can focus on the social dimension of unequal dignity between poor and rich if desired, but the better option would be to take the lesson of the widow about investment in heaven.

She committed her entire life to God in that act, displaying a powerful faith in his providence over and against material means. She preached her own sermon, and it does her highest honor to take its lesson: that God alone gives life, and giving toward advancing his interests, even at the expense of our own, is the surest investment we can make.

The widow is often depicted as a sweet and sad old thing at the end of her rope and nowhere to go but God. In fact, she is smart, a sharper tack than the rich around her, for she puts all of her eggs into God’s basket. By withholding nothing, she ensures that nothing of her is withheld from trusting in God’s providence. Like Zacchaeus, she pushes all of her chips in on God’s provision.

https://www.preachingtoday.com/lectionary/

 

 

First Reading Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17

1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. 2Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do." 5She said to her, "All that you tell me I will do."

4:13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the LORD made her conceive, and she bore a son. 14Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him." 16Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. 17The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Psalm 127:1-5

1Unless the LORD builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the LORD guards the city,

the guard keeps watch in vain.

2It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives sleep to his beloved.

3Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the sons of one's youth.

5Happy is the man who has

his quiver full of them.

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Second Reading Hebrews 9:24-28

24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Gospel Mark 12:38-44

38As he taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

41He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then 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. 44For 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."