25th Sunday after Pentecost

Mark 12:38-44

As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then, he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For 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.”

The Widow’s Mite

This morning’s gospel is called the “Widows Mite,” and is a classic that gets trotted out during Stewardship season. As I am the guest preacher, this won’t be a stewardship sermon, so no need to run to the doors. We are going to look at this story from a different approach this morning. We are going to look at it from what is called “theology from below,” meaning from the viewpoint of those marginalized by society’s established systems of oppression, because this story is an indictment of a system that victimized the poor and vulnerable. Moreover, is a warning of what may be ahead of us of increasing intentionally establishing and enhancing systems oppressing the poor and vulnerable in our country.

Reading the story carefully we see Jesus never commends the widow for her self- sacrifice nor uses her as an example to follow during stewardship season. He simply notices her, and tells his disciples to notice her too as they sit outside the Temple treasury. In the story, Jesus had just described the Temple leaders to the disciples as “devourers of widows’ houses,” when along comes a poor widow, and they watch her drop her two coins into the collection box. She is almost invisible amongst those considered more important, who stride about in their long robes, speaking loudly, making sure they are noticed. The widow is in her circumstances because of society’s apathy towards her and those like her. She lived in a patriarchal society in which her survival would have substantially depended upon the generosity of her closest male relatives. She also had the bad luck to live in a capitalistic empire in which economic disparities were entrenched in the system. She is not poor because resources are scarce. The Roman empire was rich in abundance, and those who were favored and privileged in that system prospered. The powerful of the world rely upon systems that oppress and exploit, and a first century widowed woman, alone with no male family members, was among the most vulnerable.

This is the lesson for us this morning whether we woke up despairing or relieved Wednesday morning, the gospels are for all people. Jesus noticed her and pointed her out to the disciples. This is the lesson for us this morning, noticing those who society has marginalized or are put threat. Jesus saw what everyone else in the Temple complex that day is too busy, too grand, too supposedly spiritual, and too self-absorbed to see. The redemptive part of the story, and for us to learn from, is that Jesus’ eyes are always looking for and finding the small, the insignificant, the hidden. If our Lord pays attention to what the world labels small, insignificant and hidden, perhaps they are not small or insignificant. And, we, as followers of Christ, need to look for them as well, by not being distracted by loud voices that never seem to hush, or blinded by imagery flashing across our screens. May the Church (big C and little C), which is us, have the eyes to see the injustices of society and its effect on humanity and creation. A challenge for us to do this is what we see is influenced by our position in society, by our history and life experience.

For example; when I started seminary in Chicago, there was the requisite orientation day. Part of the day’s agenda was to learn where to go and what to do in case of an emergency, like a fire or tornado. I was sitting in a room, which up to that point in my life was the most diverse group of people I had ever been with, people of all colors, ethnicities, races, genders, and persuasion were gathered, when the presenter was telling us what to do if we saw someone “acting suspiciously” and how to report “suspicious behavior.” The atmosphere in the room immediately became tense, hands were going up and people began to speak out. And, there sat straight, white, middle-class, raised in the suburbs Sara who was wondering what was going on.

I quickly learned for these people who did not look like me, or dress like me were often the ones considered “suspicious”, and had had law enforcement called on them because they didn’t “look right,” as they walked down a street, or entered a building, or rang the doorbell of a friend’s house who lived in a different neighborhood than them. And, they were very clear what they thought of these words and the use of them.

What I had learned growing up white, middle-class, in the suburbs, was if I was lost or in need, a police officer would help me. And, ironically while in Chicago before orientation, I had gotten lost a few times, because that’s what I do, and had gone to a police officer each time for directions, without even thinking about it. As there are a lot of police in cars, on foot, and on bikes in Chicago, it was easy to find one.

I learned that day, as I listened to the alarm and protests of my classmates and heard their stories. I realized, I saw and experienced the world differently than many in that room because of my life experiences and station in life as a white, middle-class, straight woman, raised in the suburbs. This not a good or bad thing. We only know what we know, until we know differently. As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” I could not unsee or unhear my classmates. I now understood if I am with someone who doesn’t look like me, and an order is shouted to get on the ground where they can see my hands, they very likely don’t mean me.

I was more clear eyed after this experience in how I see the world and what my responsibility is as a human being and a follower of Christ. By no means is my vision 20/20. However with God’s help we need start working on and being open to seeing things outside of our experience because things might start changing soon.

Jesus noticed the widow. We have been instructed to notice the needs of others for millennia, and we are pretty good at it. You get this at Plymouth Congregational Church. Getting sleeping bags for the home insecure. The community garden, supporting and participating with community organizations, being Open and Affirming. Thank you for your faithfulness as faithful stewards of all Creation. My friends, never more in our lifetimes is it more imperative for us to notice what is happening around us and how it affects those who usually go unnoticed, who like the widow have no or little power. I preached a sermon that said, “be like her,” assumes that we can actually imagine being in the widow’s place, or in the place of those who feel under threat right now, if we aren’t living the same threat. Jesus told his disciples and tells us to notice what the world does not notice, to pay attention to the laws, policies, and attitudes that do harm to only some, those considered other, less important; Jesus draws our attention to the widow, so we can be more deeply aware of how the needs of so many like her are too often ignored or just not seen through the veil of what we know and our life experience. Too much of the time, like the disciples, unless it’s pointed out to us, we simply don’t see it — or if we do see it we do not fully comprehend their situation as it is different than ours. This doesn’t mean we don’t care. Nonetheless, it is something we need to aware of and not get tripped up by.

So how do we improve or become more observant to see what is around us? I don’t have a five point bullet-pointed action plan for you. Because, I think it is as simple as listening to people, paying attention with our eyes and ears of those around us, not getting swept by the noise and glare of the powerful, as they want to distract us from the needs of those they wish to exploit or do harm.

Wednesday morning, God snapped their fingers in my face about this very thing. I was in the grocery store feeling a lot of feelings about election night. The woman checking me out asked how I was. Not knowing how she was feeling about the night before I cautiously said “fine.” She continued, that she had had a tough morning. I immediately thought “she is having the same experience as me.” However, she then told me her story that due to the snow storm the previous night, her car had been hard to start and covered in snow and ice. It had taken forever to scrape off, making her late to work. She had a hard morning.

Listening to her, realizing it was different from my experience of that morning. I saw her. A middle-aged woman, on her feet all day dealing with the public and their expired coupons, earning an hourly wage and not getting paid for the time missed getting to work late because she doesn’t have a garage. I was reminded to pay attention, to look beyond my experience of having a garage and what it means for folks who don’t. Reduced wages is not a small thing. And so, we visited, listening and acknowledging her experience and concerns. We both agreed now that winter is coming we need to stock up on that ice melt spray stuff for windshields, and gave each other a tip on how to best use it. We had a moment of rapport, a community of two, and I pray it was adequate for her needs at that moment, as I was blessed by our time together. I share this story with you because God’s love is in these seemingly benign moments. That woman and I both experienced a moment of goodness that we needed that tough morning. God is in the small things, so don’t put pressure on yourself to come up with a grand gesture or look for something “big.”

Good people, it is evident the systems of the world were not established for the betterment of Creation. Consequently, injustice prevails, and we are called to be faithful to Christ’s teachings, to show up, to notice, pay attention, and do what God commands and Jesus taught to the best of our ability. On one hand, I wish I had something more profound and dramatic for you so we could march out of the church this morning feeling triumphant. Then again, that is how the disciples and crowd wanted Jesus to enter Jerusalem. But, he didn’t. He came in quietly through a side city gate riding a borrowed donkey. And, he changed the world. And, we can do the same. Nothing is unimportant to God. We are who place those labels, so let’s stop determining what matters and what doesn’t.

Hear and be encouraged by these words of Teresa of Avila:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

This is not a burden folks; we get to do this. We get to be Jesus’ eyes, ears, hands, and feet, This is so cool! People in America are hurting and afraid right now. A seminary friend of mine whose community has been threatened repeatedly during the presidential campaign posted on FaceBook on Wednesday, “What a privilege it must be to feel safe today.” A friend of my husband’s went to his local coffee shop and said good morning to the barista, a gay man, he sees every morning. The barista’s response with head lowered was “morning”. Our friend told us, “I shook his hand, and his eyes welled up with tears.” There are people in America today who are truly scared.

May we as a community of faith notice, listen, and change the world one bit a time. Knowing it is all right, that it takes time, so let us, as a good friend of mine Rev. Charles Wei wrote this week: “The arc of history always bends toward justice. It may not be quick, and we may not live long enough to see it, but God is always at work in the world to change things for the better. What is happening right now is temporary. Stay strong. Let God inspire you, and continue working for a better world.”

Working for a better world is accomplished in many ways. Including acknowledging another’s experience with a handshake or a conversation about ice melt.

Beloved, I leave you with the words of the prophet Micah. “God has shown you what is good. And, what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8.

May it be so. Amen