The Widow's Mite.

The Tithe of the Poor Widow. 

"In the course of his teaching Jesus said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in s­ynagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

"He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. 

"Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 

"Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “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.” (Mark 12: 38 - 44).

Saturday 10th June 2023 in the 9th Week in Ordinary Time. 

Our key Scripture for today is the contribution of the poor widow to the Temple. Jesus was sitting in a strategic location in the Temple and observed people as they came to make their offerings.

When Jesus observed the poor widow make her offering, Jesus called His disciples to himself and said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury."

Let us reflect on one widow which the Church honors on Saturdays. 

Mary the Mother of Jesus was a widow for most of her life. 

Tradition recounts that Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary did not live long enough to see the public ministry of Jesus. From what we gathered from traditional sources, Mary, Joseph and Jesus lived a modest life even when Joseph, the main bread winner was still alive. 

We can only guess that things did not change much after Joseph died.

What can we learn from Mary the poor widow? 

We know that after Jesus started His public ministry, Mary followed Her Son everywhere He went. She was at Cana for the first miracle of Jesus.

 When she got the malicious message that Jesus had gone mad from too much preaching and not eating for days, Mary went with some relatives to check out the story.

At the foot of the Cross, one of the last words of Jesus was to commit Mary to the care of John the Evangelist. 

The poor widow Mary earned the title the "first disciple" of Jesus. She learned everything she could about the teaching of Jesus.

The Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturdays especially on the First Saturday of each month.

"For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she [Mary], from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

What a wonderful Mother we have in Mary.

The Church honors the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June. 

For Prayers and Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/06/consecrate-yourself-to-sacred-heart-of.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com