Homily

The Gospel scene opens with a peculiar note: “The large crowd was listening to him with delight.” Why? Jesus touched people’s hearts because he loved so much that he gave his life for them. Listening to the Gospel with delight was decisive for salvation. Already the Book of Sirach exhorted the wise person to “be ready to listen to every godly discourse” (6:35).
We are at the end of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, and the contrast with the scribes and Pharisees reached its apex. The evangelist Mark underlines the diversity between the attitude of the crowd and that of the religious hierarchy. It is not a difference of belonging. Last Sunday, the Gospel spoke of the example of a scribe who “was not far from the kingdom of heaven.” The problem is in people’s hearts: do their hearts feel the need to be saved? Jesus listens to the questions of the crowd that follows him. He does not want to disappoint their need and, moreover, does not want to abandon them to their destiny. The rejection or lack of attention to that cry would mean to hand over the crowds to the scribes and Pharisees, to the evil shepherds, who would abandon everyone in desperation. Indifference is never neutral. It is much more: it is the abandonment of the weak in the hands of the “scribes.” Every generation has its own “scribes” who go around in long robes, who take the first seats in the assembly or in the political and cultural agora, who receive the salutations and respect of the majority of people. Scribes and Pharisees are those who dictate what happiness or unhappiness are; they are those who govern our consciences and tastes, who direct us with an authority that often we do not perceive but to which we are subject. They are true “teachers” of life. They have powerful tools at their disposition; as powerful and strong were the scribes at Jesus’ time. Then as today, Jesus wants to undermine their leading role with the poverty of the Gospel preaching so that they do not impose heavy and useless burdens on the shoulders of desperate people. Only Jesus is the true good shepherd.
Jesus does not stop in his reprimand, and adds: “40They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers.” The widows’ houses are the houses of those who do not have anyone to defend them. Even today there are many houses of widows, orphans, and even entire countries that are not defended. Yes, there are many widows like the one in Zarephath, whose story we heard in the book of Kings. They are forced to say: “I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” In many houses and lands there is nothing to eat tomorrow. There is no future. Who is looking at these widows? Who will take care of them? Who will even turn his or her eyes to them?
Jesus looks at them. He looks at them as he gazed at that widow who made her offering for the temple. Jesus sees her while she puts two coins into the priest’s hands. Obviously, no one notices her. She does not come from a noble or royal family so that she may attract attention; she does not belong to the world of rich and famous people so that she may be noticed. She is not worth anything. If bystanders saw her, most of them probably misjudged her. What did she give? Only two small copper coins: nothing in comparison to the substantial offerings that the rich could boast. However, Jesus looked with affection and admiration at that woman, insignificant to if not despised by, the eyes of most. Only Jesus gives her attention; not even the disciples notice her. We can imagine that Jesus calls his friends to pay attention to her. Jesus teaches the disciples, who were absentminded or focused only on impressive things, to look with love and care at the smallest things. With the solemnity of important moments – so different from the judgement of human beings – Jesus says: “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” She did not keep for herself even one of the two coins. Contrary to all others and to all of us, she loved God with all her soul and strength to the point of giving all she had.
It is not by chance that the evangelist locates this insignificant, certainly unglamorous, episode at the end of Jesus’ public life and of his teaching in the temple of Jerusalem. Opposite to the young rich man who “went away grieving” because he had many riches and wanted to keep them for himself (Mk 10:22), this poor widow, by giving everything, teaches us how to love God and the Gospel. She went away happy. Truly she was not a widow though she appeared as such in the eyes of people. Jesus’ loving eyes have rested on her. We will taste the same joy if, like her, we will be able to offer our poor heart entirely to the Lord.