Since 1983, most Christian denominations in the English-speaking world have used a commonly shared Lectionary; consequently, most Christian denominations will read the same Scripture texts we read this Sunday.  Because of the nature of the stories in the first reading and Gospel selection, it is likely that pastors of all denominations will preach about sacrificial giving this Sunday. 

The widow of Zarephath who fed and housed the prophet Elijah during a famine and the poor widow who donated her entire livelihood to the Jerusalem Temple are compelling stories.  As both stories relate incidents of great sacrifice, they lend themselves to preaching about tithing and stewardship.  Interestingly, this was not the message that Jesus intended to teach his disciples. 

The social welfare services that we take for granted today did not exist in the ancient world.  Women like the two mentioned in today’s readings were entirely on their own and could expect help from no one.  Unless they had extended family who lived nearby, they would have faced certain starvation.  The actions of these two widows entailed great risk for themselves and a potential burden for their families and neighbors. 

Jesus wasn’t recommending imitation of the poor widow when he said, “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.” (Mk 12:43-44)  Rather, he was lamenting the injustice of the scribes who were happy to see other people impoverished as long as they themselves derived some benefit from it.  In this case, it appears that some of the donations to the Temple were being used by the scribes for purposes other than maintaining the Temple and serving the poor. 

The author of the Gospel adapted the story as a metaphor for discipleship.  The moral of the story, when interpreted metaphorically, is that faithful discipleship requires total self-sacrifice.  Jesus expected his disciples to turn their backs on their former ways of life and follow him unreservedly.  These two stories are intended to be understood as lessons about the whole of the life of faith rather than only the practical necessities of maintaining a church congregation.  As such, these stories present us with challenges much greater than funding church activities. 

Jesus described discipleship and faithful religious practice as fulltime vocations.  According to Jesus, the life of faith requires one’s full attention at every moment and one’s constant effort to apply the principles of faith and justice to every situation.  This invalidates several popular notions about religion. 

For a very long time, it has been popular to view religion as “a good foundation” for children and youth, but one that has no direct applicability to an adult’s life.  The infantilization of religion is a self-reinforcing cycle.  When religion is seen as primarily a code of ethics to be taught to children, it prevents the possibility of a mature faith and an adequate understanding of God.  Consequently, those whose understanding of God is a childish and immature one, can only view religion as an activity for the immature.  The result of this is an injustice akin to the one done to the poor widow in the Gospel. 

Another woefully inadequate view of religion is based on the popular cultural value of self-improvement.  For quite a while in our culture, religion has been praised and practiced as a means to become “the best version” of oneself.  This belief prevents its adherents from seeing its inherent falsehood. 

Jesus described faithful religion as wholehearted worship of God.  In fact, all religion is wholehearted worship of a god, but not all religion worships the One, True God.  The religion of self-improvement worships the god of self.  Seeking to become the best version of oneself is not at all the same as seeking to love God and neighbor; it is little more than seeking to love oneself more and for greater cause.  The incompatibility of this false religion would stand in stark contrast to the religion taught by Jesus if it weren’t for the fact that the religion of self-improvement prevents one from perceiving any god but self. 

One further misuse of religion deserves mention.  It is the impoverished version of “best self” religion that sees religion as an occasional practice that exists for the purpose of addressing passing needs.  Attending church services or performing religious acts as a means to obtain specific benefits is no less faithless than self-aggrandizement; it is merely less zealous. 

The author of Mark’s Gospel, taking to heart Jesus’ teaching about faithful religion, presents the poor widow in the Gospel as a metaphor of faithful discipleship; in the same way that the widow gave away all she had, disciples are to give themselves completely to the work of learning Jesus’ teachings, putting them into practice, and modelling those teachings to others. 

Following Jesus’ teachings provides certainty of being reconciled to God and neighbor.  It remains uncertain, however, whether his teachings receive any wider acceptance today than they did during his lifetime. 

Every pastor knows the challenges of funding a congregation’s life and ministry, but congregations do not exist for the purpose of paying bills or collecting money.  Every baptized person has at least a vague understanding of the challenges of fulfilling the vows of baptism, but baptism does not exist for the purpose of being an accomplishment or a sign of self-worth. 

Disciples support their Church and congregation as one of many ways that they embody and proclaim their faith; conceivably, however, givers and stewards can provide material support to their congregation while failing to be called to grow in faith themselves.  In this case, Jesus’ lament applies directly.  Those who give for ephemeral reasons merit praise for their sacrifice, but those who make religion about gaining material wealth or personal satisfaction merit condemnation for their self-serving behavior. 

If the lessons in today’s Scripture readings are applicable to material support of the Church community, they are so only because the lessons are primarily about being a faithful disciple of Jesus.  Those who would like to hear themselves described as having given “all they had” should bear in mind that Jesus does not limit “all one has” to one’s time, talent, and treasure.  To be a faithful disciple of Jesus requires the total sacrifice of oneself in praise of God’s goodness; anything less is a failure of both religion and justice.