Nothing To Lose

I definitely have a different perspective on widowhood now that my mom is a widow. It is a struggle every single day just to get up and out of bed let alone manage all the things that are required for a two-income household that is now just a single-income living. Making important life and financial decisions without your partner is daunting and yucky and lonely. That whole ‘til death do us part thing was never what she actually signed up for. Jesus has a special place in his heart for widows and today he uses one widow’s sacrifice to teach us how we are to give to others. 

First Jesus noticed what was happening. How important it is to remember that Jesus notices us. People were putting their offerings into the treasury. Another word for offerings is gifts. The wealthy people gave and still had plenty in their pockets to spare, one for you, four for me. How often do I hold back my own gifts for whatever reasons: laziness, not feeling it, at least I’m giving something, a little is better than nothing, I’m sure other people are giving so I don’t need to, pride, arrogance, etc. Jesus knew that they were giving with conditions. Ugh. I give with conditions all the time. Then a widow steps up to the plate and gives all she had. The reason God gives so many instructions in scripture to take care of widows is because they literally had no income once their husband died. They are the poorest of the poor in Jesus’ society and God is very clear that we are to take care of the poorest of the poor, then and now. Widows would not have been expected to make an offering because of their poverty and yet this woman gave all. Why? Have you ever been desperate or in a “I have nothing to lose” situation? When you have nothing to lose, going all in seems almost easy or many times is the only choice. This is a kind of poverty of spirit that Jesus highlights in the beatitudes. It gives us the courage to give all because we have nothing to lose. This all-in-ness is how Jesus wants us to use our gifts because the fact of the matter is that we do have nothing to lose because he already lost it all in our place. Jesus’ sacrifice gives us the kind of poverty that this widow has. Essentially we are widows to sin because of the offering of Christ and his offering allows us to go all in with our gifts. Wow. I need to sit with that for a minute! 

When we give from our poverty of spirit, which is a place of total surrender to the offering that Jesus made in our place, we can give all that we have because our surplus is unlimited in the blood of Jesus. His offering is unconditional, limitless, and abundant and when we give ourselves over to that abundance, our generosity only increases because there is nothing to lose. I am a widow to my past and the sins of my past and Jesus has a special place in his heart for widows. This place in his heart gives me the courage to go all in with my gifts and offerings. He notices when I give with conditions and when I give with nothing to lose. I pray that today is an "all-in offering" kind of day and it is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 RV 14:1-3, 4B-5

I, John, looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion,
and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand
who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
I heard a sound from heaven
like the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder.
The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
They were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne,
before the four living creatures and the elders.
No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand
who had been ransomed from the earth.
These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
They have been ransomed as the first fruits
of the human race for God and the Lamb.
On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished.

Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1BC-2, 3-4AB, 5-6

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Alleluia MT 24:42A, 44

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 21:1-4

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, "I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."