She Put in Everything: 7 November, 2021

The gospels tell us that Jesus often spoke about money and wealth. Most often it was about the rich, but here it is about someone who had little to give. He makes it clear that it is not the amount that matters, but the willingness to share. How do our present day stewardship practices reflect this teaching? –– Judith Simonson

Mark 12:38-44

It seems to me that today’s gospel reading has a great deal to say. Jesus and his disciples come out of the temple, the wonder of their age. Still not complete after a lifetime of work, there was nonetheless nothing like it in that part of the world at that time. With its dressed stone, gold ornamentation, and sheer bulk, it spoke to all who saw it. It spoke of solidity, durability, permanence. No wonder the disciples were so in awe of it; no wonder they felt it would last forever.

Not Jesus. His words must have shocked his disciples. Here he was saying that something that looked as if it would last and last was destined for a fall, and a great fall at that.

All cultures create their own false gods and idols. Perhaps ours has been prosperity. Perhaps that is why so many of our financial institutions and major companies have buildings that look like the Jerusalem temple: solid, stone built, dependable.

In this culture the words of Jesus, and those of the church, do not seem to be heard. I believe that church leaders have been speaking but so many have not been able to listen because the current crisis has rocked their foundations, as the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 C.E. did to the people of Israel. Those seemingly eternal stones were thrown down and huge changes followed.

God still speaks that same message today, and it is one of hope in darkness. –– Michael Beck

Hebrews 9:24-28

The writer of Hebrews contrasts the many sacrifices of temple worship with the one sacrifice of the great high priest, Jesus. How do we, who are not familiar with Old Testament worship practices, understand this reasoning? Is our tendency to want credit for things we do for the church a kind of sacrificial worship? How many Sunday School classes taught make up for being impatient with our elderly parent? How many church council/vestry meetings compensate for social lies told to avoid helping a neighbor? –– Judith Simonson

1 Kings 17:8-16

The promise of God is that the kingdom is among us. And it still is if we open our eyes to see it. People are still living out the commandment to love, perhaps more so now than a few months before as many cooperate in the face of adversity. Perhaps we have been led astray and need to return. We do need to remember that when times are hard it is not a sign that we have been abandoned. The widow was not abandoned by God—Elijah gave hope and practical help in that time of disaster. –– Michael Beck

Michael Beck, an Anglican parish priest with a DMin in preaching (2004) from the Association of Chicago Theological Schools, serves as a tutor for preaching at the Lindisfarne College of Theology, Durham University, United Kingdom.

Judith E. Simonson is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Homily Service 42, no. 4 (2009): 112–123