• Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
• Psalm 127
• 1 Kings 17:8-16
• Psalm 146
• Hebrews 9:24-28
• Mark 12:38-44

Today’s lesson: there are no verses, chapters, paragraphs or, even, punctuation in the original text.

If you’ve spent any time in Church, you know how this Gospel sermon runs. Here’s a visible parable

See? She puts in more than all these rich people because she has given all she has… then something comes up about tithing or, maybe, about giving all you have. If I, the preacher, am a televangelist, I might add something about God blessing you for giving him your money and then I would post an address on the screen. When I was growing up this seemed a revolutionary development: that a poor person could out-give a Rockefeller or a Roosevelt, a Trump or a Gates. Truly, God must love the poor! Then some pun about “the widow’s mite (coin) becomes the widow’s might”.

Our Revised Common Lectionary spun my sermon on its head, however. Because…

Lookit: verse 38 he says “Beware the religious leaders because they like to wear special clothing and sit at the high table at feasts (vs 39). They do this by stealing widows houses. (vs 40)” Saying so, he watches the rich put money in piles at the temple gate (vrs 41) and along comes this widow who gives everything she has! (Verse 42)

Jesus’ math makes perfect sense: it’s not revolutionary at all. It’s simple percentages. Of course, giving everything she has, she’s given more than all those rich people. But Jesus makes no comments praising her for it. Instead he’s already condemned the rich who made her give all she had.

If you read forward, past our assigned reading, and REMEMBER: there are no paragraph breaks or verses in the original text… Read forward and the next lines are about how worthless the Temple is anyway.

I’m sorry, but this story is NOT about giving all your money to the Church.

Let me move two verses to a different location. See it if reads differently now:

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. 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.” As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

I don’t think this is about giving all your money to God. I think this is about being wary of religious leaders who want you to give all your money to God and, instead, end up getting the money themselves.

This is the argument I have whenever someone wants to build a beautiful Temple, use real gold leaf on icons, or spend more money on a set of vestments than a poor family can spend in one year on clothes: “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” We make idols out of our churches when we value the churches more than we value our neighbours; that is, God.

Of course, sometimes = as twice in the last year – the religious leaders are just taking the money to make political hey: to aggrandise themselves at the expense of others. These buildings too, will fall down eventually.

When we take the widow’s mite we don’t bless her: we condemn ourselves. We make an idol of the physical plant, of the stuff we have. God tells us to share our stuff with the poor. Not make the poor pay for more of it!!!!

I’ve been blessed to worship in some beautiful buildings. The best was (a) the Church of St Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco, CA; and (b) St Seraphim Church in Santa Rosa, CA. Things there are VERY beautiful, in different ways and in different styles. But they, too, will one day fall down. And, to be honest, most modern churches are nowhere near as beautiful as St Gregory’s or St Seraphim’s: most are just high-tech entertainment studios with cushy chairs. A church community, the family of communion, is not supposed to have 30,000 members…

The best liturgies I remember are with Fr Joseph, in Hendersonville, served in his house or in the houses of other members of the parish. The dining table was the altar. The choir standing to one side and everyone else gathered around. These liturgies were celebrated in stressful and painful times, but these liturgies were beautiful. Simple. Well done. And later we sat down at the same table and ate our meal or held our parish meeting. That’s the cool thing about Eastern liturgy: as stately and ornate as it becomes, it still boils down to something done around a dining table.

We need liturgy, we need beauty in which to worship, I know that. But for us – as for the earliest disciples – the beauty of a clean home, filled with feasting friends should be enough. Those parishioners and Fr Joseph: giving their all – not to build things that would waste away, but to be the Church in that place. That’s the widow’s might!

These two feasts seem to me analogues. And so this seems to me a perfect time for a week of prayer. Yes, I mean – it’s time to cross the streams.

NB: One might just as well remember Our Lady’s cry – and St Seraphim of Sarov – to “pray the Rosary Daily”!

(If you’re saying these prayers as a “stand alone” office – start here)

Glory to you, our God, glory to you.

O heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of truth, everywhere present and filling all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and abide in us and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O good one.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O, Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your Name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be your Name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth, as in heaven. Give us this day the bread of Life; and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, are yours: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(If you are saying the novena with other prayers, start here)

O good Mother of the Good King, most pure and blessed Theotokos Mary, pour out the mercy of your Son and our God upon my passionate soul, by your intercessions guide me into all good works, that I may pass the remaining time of my life without blemish, and attain paradise by your help, O Virgin Theotokos, only pure and blessed one.

Troparion (Tone 4)
Today the faithful celebrate the feast with joy
illumined by your coming, O Mother of God.
Beholding your pure image we fervently cry to you:
“Encompass us beneath the precious veil of your protection;
deliver us from every form of evil by entreating Christ,
your Son and our God that He may save our souls.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Kontakion (Tone 3)
Today the Virgin stands in the midst of the Church
and with choirs of saints she invisibly prays to God for us.
Angels and bishops worship,
apostles and prophets rejoice together,
since for our sake she prays to the pre-eternal God.

Litany of Our Lady of Victory

God, the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

The response for the following greetings is Pray for us.

Our Lady of Victory,
Victorious Daughter of the Father,
Victorious Mother of the Son,
Victorious Spouse of the Holy Spirit,
Victorious Servant of the Holy Trinity
Victorious in crushing the serpent’s head,
Victorious over all the children of Adam,
Victorious over all enemies,
Victorious in your presentation in the Temple,
Victorious in your response to the Angel Gabriel,
Victorious in your wedding to St. Joseph,
Victorious in the birth of Christ,
Victorious in the flight to Egypt,
Victorious in your exile,
Victorious in your home at Nazareth,
Victorious in finding Christ in the temple,
Victorious in the mission of your Son,
Victorious in His passion and death,
Victorious in His Resurrection and Ascension,
Victorious in the Coming of the Holy Spirit,
Victorious in your sorrows and joys,
Victorious in your falling asleep in the Lord,,
Victorious in the angels who remained faithful,
Victorious in the happiness of the saints,
Victorious in the message of the prophets,
Victorious in the testimony of the patriarchs,
Victorious in the zeal of the apostles,
Victorious in the witness of the evangelists,
Victorious in the wisdom of the doctors,
Victorious in the deeds of the confessors,
Victorious in the triumph of all holy women,
Victorious in the faithfulness of the martyrs,
Victorious in your powerful intercession,
Victorious under your many titles,
Victorious at the moment of death,

Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy,

Christ, hear us,
Christ, graciously hear us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy, Lord.

Pray for us, blessed Lady of Victory.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Our Lady of Victory, we have unshaken confidence in your intercession before your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Humbly we ask your prayers for all Christians in help or need. We implore you to obtain for us grace needed in our lives to make us worthy of sharing Christ’s victory. May we join with you in praise of the the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen)
Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine evyes of mercy toward us.
And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God:
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, and sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee I come; before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but in Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

O Victorious Leader of Triumphant Hosts!
We, your servants, delivered from evil,
sing our grateful thanks to you, O Theotokos!
As you possess invincible might,
set us free from every calamity
So that we may sing: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!

(If you are saying this novena by itself, continue:)

Glory to you, O Jesus Christ, Our God and Our Hope, Glory to you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Most Holy Theotokos Save us!

More honourable than the Cherumbim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim, in virginity you gave birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, we magnify you.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Lord, bless!

O Jesus Christ, Our God, through the prayers of our holy fathers and mothers have mercy upon us. Amen.