Build Up

In this week’s gospel story (Mark 12:38-44), often called “the widow’s mite,” Jesus is commenting on hypocritical behavior (sin) and generous behavior (stewardship or tithing).

In this scene, Jesus raises up the person most people would look down upon, and he criticizes the person most people would give respect.

Jesus is certainly discouraging hypocritical behavior and encouraging generous giving for the building up of the church community.

But he is also talking about our inner state of being and how this determines the quality of our days, life in this world, and whether or not we taste the “kingdom of heaven among us.” The Apostle Paul, St. Augustine, and Luther all wrote about this problem. All of them describe the core problem as human beings suffering from “incurvatus in se,” being blindly turned in on themselves.

A life that looks good on the outside, but is inwardly driven by selfishness, rigid private agendas and the pursuit of “measuring up” at all costs is a life turned in on itself, cut off from fluid relationality to others and to the Divine.

A life of open-heartedness and relationality, like that of Jesus Christ, is the opposite of being turned in on oneself.

A life of generosity – whether wealthy or poor – is the opposite of being turned in on oneself.

Take a look at all the lectionary readings for Sunday here:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=228

See you Sunday!

Jane