The Father in Disguise

Nov. 8th, 2009
Mark 12: 38-44

38 As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, 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.’
41 He 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.’

In this reading, I was struck by the fact that Jesus deliberately sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting in their contributions. He just sat and watched. Was he waiting for a poor person to come and contribute just so he could give his disciples an object lesson? Or did he have an appointment? Perhaps the Father said to him, “Watch the treasury. I will be appearing there.”

So, he watches and waits. He watches as people rich in money and influence, as well as skills and talents, parade by and ostentatiously deposit their gifts. One could be forgiven for looking for the Father somewhere amongst these people. After all, he is God, King of the Universe, the source of all riches, power, gifts and glory. Would he not come in great dignity, in a mode that would cause people to stop, fall on their knees and gaze in wonder and awe? Would he not be robed in majesty and grace? Wouldn’t he present himself as Power personified? That’s what most people would watch for if they were told the Father was going to make an appearance.

Not Jesus.

I could see him sitting impassively as he watches all the people dressed in fine robes and attended by many slaves parade by so self-aware of how well they support the temple and proud of all the committees they serve on and how often their opinions are sought in important decisions. They are the leaders. They are the ones that are depended upon, noticed and honored. Then the widow appears. To most observers, she has three strikes against her. She is a woman. She is a widow. She is poor. In other words, she is less than nothing. She has no money, no viable skills, no education, no husband to give her status and worth and what’s more, she knows it. Yet, she gives to the temple in the sight of those who look down on her. She supports a community that ignores her and her needs and judges her as unworthy. She comes when nobody wants her, expects her or waits for her. She comes. She gives.

And Jesus’ heart leaps within him and he says to himself, “There is my Father.”

This Gospel passage is not just speaking about the spiritual requirement of being generous with one’s possessions. It is presenting a clear image of God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. We, God’s people, have a terribly difficult time shifting our minds away from the world’s idea of the definition of power and effectiveness. We think in terms of possessions, skill, power, organization, knowledge and financial savvy etc. and while there’s nothing wrong with these things, we need to understand they are just tools. They are not evidence of the presence – or the lack of presence - of God.

We acknowledge that God is the God of all power and might – and that is correct. What is not always correct is our perception of power and might, even though Jesus gave us such a clear picture by his life here on earth. He did not save us through knowledge or physical strength or the accumulation of riches. His life and death were not effective because he built a great organization that attracted a lot of gifted people and had a lot of clout with the government. He saved us through love. His life was not effective just because he was poor either. His poverty was not the pivotal point of who he was. We need to know that poverty alone has no power or substance. Poverty alone can be as much of a hindrance to spiritual effectiveness as having too much. It was his love that saved us. It was the widow’s love of God and her willingness to let go of what she had that made the penny more valuable than mounds of gold.

Jesus immediately recognized the presence of his Father in the widow. It is the Father’s nature to come even when he is not particularly wanted, to give all he has to a world that does not value him or his gifts. In love he pours out more than just a portion of his abundance. He pours out everything he has and all that he is.

Rich or poor, the question is, can we love?

And I have to say it again: we cannot love well unless we know in the depths of our hearts we are well loved.