(Sinead and Mark are two young adults.)

DEAR SINEAD AND MARK,

It’s a cold and November kind of day, these days. We’re getting nearer to the turn of the days, when the light increases, and the days begin to get longer. It’s only 40 days until the 21^st of December, the winter solstice, and a few days later we will be celebrating the coming of The Light into the world, Jesus himself who said of himself ‘I am the light of the world!’. In dark times, we hang on to hope of brighter days and a brighter life.

A Question: is your Tommy Hilfiger outfit genuine? Are your Adidas shoes the real thing? Is your O’Neill outfit all that it appears? I hope so, to all of the above. But, how do you know what’s genuine, and what’s fake? There’s a lot of counterfeit making the rounds, and it’s important to closely examine whatever is offered to us,- and not only clothes, shoes, gear, etc. but people too, and especially the ones who seem to be on a pedestal, whether in the church or in society.

Well, that’s partly what this weekend is about, on this weekend of Nov. 11^th, the 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. We are invited to reflect on a story in St. Mark’s Gospel, ,- Mark Chapter 12, verses 38-44.  Jesus is visiting the Temple in Jerusalem for the very last time, -on the Tuesday before his Passion began. He won’t be back again.  So, he sits and watches the goings and the comings of people. Then, in the tiny story we hear today, we meet some people who are all show, all bluff, hollow inside, full of pretence, with their hearts far from God. And then we meet one little woman who was genuine, who had very little of this world’s goods, who was a widow woman,- and whose heart was made of gold,- for she gave her last cent (we call it ‘the widow’s mite‘) as an offering to God in the Temple, -she gave away her lunch money for that day, all that she had left, to the God she loved. She gave, and she trusted. (And note that this story is placed right before Jesus begins the days of his Passion, when he would do just the same,- give everything, on the Cross. The widow woman is an example placed before us, today’s disciples of Jesus.)

Do you meet people like those in your lives? People, even religious ones sometime, who are not genuine, who are all show and bluster, but hollow inside. Well, maybe it’s not fair to judge them completely, because we ourselves, every one of us, are at times not really genuine, not the real thing. We talk the talk, but don’t always walk the walk.

And do you meet others in your life who, you feel, are the real thing, are genuine,- their words and actions match. They might not be well off, but they give so much, of their time, interest, energy, care, thoughtfulness, and love. They are involved with people, with their neighbours, with those around them, with companions at school or at work,- they treat people properly and well. Their prayers are matched by their living. There are lots and lots of such people around us, every day. Maybe your own parents or relations fit this picture! Thank God for them.

So, is it Sham or is it Real?  Or maybe we should ask ourselves,  am I sometimes Sham, and sometimes Real?  I think we can all answer Yes to that one.  And so,  when I point the finger at someone else, I will stop and notice the other three fingers pointing back at myself! Just try pointing your finger now, and see what it looks like.  It might hurt, but it’s also good to do it.

Have a wonderfull and ‘real’ week! And be gentle with yourself , – and with others too. None of us is perfect. So, be kind and forgiving,- even of the other (sometimes) hypocrites like ourselves.

Thank God for wonderful people! We’re all of us unfinished masterpieces! God is hard at work in the hearts of all of us. Make room.

Fr. Seamus

Your response, comments, questions or suggestions would be most welcome.

email: seamus.devittcssr@gmail.com

Gospel: Mark 12:38-44.  The two tiny coins of the widow-woman.

Jesus is paying his very last visit to the Temple, on the Tuesday before his suffering began. And as soon as this incident was over, he leaves the Temple, to get ready for what was about to happen. He was going to give his everything, his all, his whole self, over to his heavenly Father.

Jesus was watching the comings and goings in the Temple. The Religious Leaders (the Scribes and Pharisees) were going around parading themselves, and pretending to be devout and good and ‘holy’.  But the reality was that lots of them often ‘devoured the property of widows’, even as they showed off how ‘good’ they were, with all their long prayers, and getting first place at meetings,  and having everyone bowing and scraping to them. A load of cods-wallop is how Jesus described them.

And then along comes one of these widows, and what does she

A Lepton,-a tiny Jewish coin, worth about 1/100th of a day's wages.

do but put in her very last cent-(we call it ‘the widow’s mite’ or tiny coin). She gave her everything as an offering. And who else was about to do the very same, a few days later? Jesus himself. He would put in everything he had, his whole self. That woman was a model for any who would follow Jesus as disciple,- hers was an attitude of total surrender and trust in God.  Give God what you have, totally, in trust that are cared for. Jesus himself would say ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit’,- his last breath.

Do  you see any people today, who are full of themselves, showing off their fine robes and clothes, and trampling on other people, treating them as dirt? -and sometimes even doing it, they claim, in the name of God!

And have an eye out all around you for people who give their everything, to their family, or community, or nation. There are plenty of them too, unselfish, who put their hearts entirely into what they do and how they serve others.

Which would be the way of a disciple of Jesus, today, in Ireland or in the wider world?

Link to  http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/20_45-21_4.htm for a reflection on this story, as it was told by Luke in Chapter 20.

For disciples reading this Gospel today, note how it is deliberately placed almost shoulder to shoulder with Jesus’ passion and death. Those who give their everything  will never lose out. They will find life to the full.

Seamus Devitt C.Ss.R.

email seamus.devittcssr@gmail.com