(Sunday readings: click on picture to the right)
"This poor widow has given all she had,
her whole livelihood."
(Mk 12: 44)
"This poor widow has given all she had,
her whole livelihood."
(Mk 12: 44)
Christian
writer C.S. Lewis begins his essay entitled “Let’s pretend” with a short example about a man who wore a
mask.
He
tells of an unattractive man who wore a more attractive mask for many years. He
dressed up as another person in a sense.
After a long period of time, he one day took off the mask and noticed
that his face had conformed to the shape of the more attractive mask and he was
changed into something he only could hope to become. Would that it was all that easy!
But
the point Lewis makes is that we, as followers of Christ, are called to a new
form; a new image and a significant change to be more like Christ himself, the
Son of God and the perfect human being.
The beast in us must be tamed and the ugliness of sin replaced by the
more beautiful. While the change is not meant to be physical, it is meant to be
one of character and holiness in our Christian life. The best way to do this, Lewis writes, is to
imitate Jesus; to pretend to be like him not in an arrogant way, but through humility,
love and generosity. In a sense to put on his mask and allow it to become our
identity.
We
can learn from Christ and through constant imitation, even if it feels like
pretending to be something we are not, over time we become what we
imitate. It is somewhat like learning to
overcome a bad habit. The more I replace
bad behavior with good, the more over time I will learn a new way and overcome
what has been holding me back. Through God’s grace all things are possible.
There
is probably no better behavior than to imitate the love and generosity of
God. The ultimate example of this we
hear in our second reading today from Hebrews.
Christ came to “take away sin once for all.” The outpouring of Jesus’ life in his death
and resurrection offers us the ultimate example of generosity. Something we should daily imitate and trust
that God will change us.
The
further example of the two widows in the first reading from Kings and the
Gospel of Mark, may offer us a real life example. The first widow is visited by the prophet
Elijah who asks her for food after a long journey. The problem is, she has nearly nothing and is
found gathering bare existence for herself and her son. Still, the prophet insists, which seems a
little insensitive, but he assures her that God will provide if she acts in
faith. Indeed she does and she and her
son have enough food for a year’s supply. She trusted in the prophet’s word and
she was rewarded for that trust. In a further sense both the prophet and the
widow were blessed as both were relieved from hunger.
The
second widow is the familiar story of the “widow’s mite.” By contrast Jesus notes the very wealthy, who
probably offered only what was required for the Temple treasury, leave little
to impress Jesus. Their giving is hardly
sacrificial but offered in order to continue the illusion of generosity and
righteousness.
So
the very poor widow with barely an existence pours in the little she has: “Her whole livelihood,” as Jesus
states. Her generosity was marked by
sacrifice and trust for her faith assured her, like the widow in our first reading
that God would provide for those who do good.
So,
there is a basic lesson here in generosity; in how and why we give. The “law of the gift” as stated by Pope St.
John Paul II reminds us that this is simply the way God has designed us and in
some way maybe even nature itself. The
more that is given away, the more returns.
In order for life to continue, for example, some of life must be given
away and that produces more life.
In
the case of the widows, and ourselves here, we recognize our call to imitate,
to become more like Christ. To give away
ourselves is not foolish. For in doing
so, we receive back so much more.
Whether it’s sharing of time, our treasure, our knowledge, our energy,
our support and love towards others we find that it all comes back to us
hundredfold. The two widows acted in
faith despite having so little.
Like
C.S. Lewis’ example of the man who wore the mask, when we put on the beauty of
Christ, the values of the Gospel, we over time become what we first pretend to
be and later are. To imitate the kindness
of God by generously offering ourselves not for public recognition but as an
act of faith in God’s care for us, we become more attractive to God
himself. God favors the humble and trusting
ones. Those on the margin, the humble
and trusting who have no pretense are blessed indeed - the “poor in
spirit.”
It’s
so fundamental to how we must live as Christians that to not be this way, we
might say, is to no longer truly be a disciple of the Lord. Self-centeredness and greed fly in the face
of the Christian Gospel. Our celebration of the Eucharist is all about giving
thanks and about allowing ourselves to be fed both in Word and Sacrament to
become who we hear and feed upon.
Put
on that mask of Christ. Follow his word,
act in trust, and God will change us to become more like who we imitate.
Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart
the things that are yours.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
(Collect of Mass)
