Wednesday after the Ninth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 9, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 12:38-44 (NKJV)
12:38 Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
Devotion
Jesus warns us to beware of the faithless acts of the scribes. Outwardly they pray, but they do it only to impress others. Their works are not done out of love for God, but to receive the praise and goodies of men. They cover up their sinful desires and actions with outward religion.
The poor widow places two mites in the treasury. Worldly wisdom doesn’t understand the good works of believers. They judge that the poor widow should have kept that money for herself. They judge that such a small amount was insignificant and worthless. Jesus, however, judges differently. He doesn’t judge by what He sees, but looks to the source of her action, which is her faith in God!
Jesus encourages believers to perform the fruits of faith. Our God has given to us our daily bread and an eternal inheritance received by faith. When we realize that God has provided for us both in body and soul, then we will give to others in thankfulness to God like this widow. Our Lutheran Confessions say that we should not just imitate the works of the saints, but imitate their faith (Apology XXI, 6-7). The memory of this widow is set before us that we might give thanks to our merciful God for her example, for the strengthening of our faith, and finally that we might imitate first her faith and then her virtuous act.
Prayer: Let Thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please Thee; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
