The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:

First Reading: Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
Psalm 127
Second Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel Reading: Mark 12:38-44

The liturgical color for the day is: Green

Those collection boxes in the temple were more like horns of a brass trumpet.  Drop something in and it made a sound.  The more you drop in the larger and louder the sound.  Of course—there were plenty in the crowd who like to make a big noise of what they put in.

It was as good, if not better than prancing around in long flowing robes.  Jesus was observing that day—and there among them was that poor widow woman. 

The poor woman is doing just as the others, she is making her contribution.  She gently drops in two coins.  Ting.  Ting.  That is all.  The sum of them is a penny.  Economically speaking not worth anything really.

A penny.  It was all—but it was everything.  Everything.  Jesus explained that she gave it all.

Her ting, ting, added up to more than the heavy plunking and pounding of their gold coins.  How could that be?

Well, her life matched her faith.  She believed all the way.  She believed with everything, and she gave her everything.  She did not show off; she did not parade around—she presented it all to God because God was her all.

Her life matched her faith.  Does ours?  Will ours?

—

Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena
Chief Imagination Officer
General Presbyter and Stated Clerk