Income Inequality

" Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.  A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling His disciples to Himself, He said to them, 'Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.' " -- [Mark 12: 41-44].

When I was a child growing up, I was chided for even thinking about giving to charity. My family mocked me: "We don't GIVE our money away!"   And they glared at me with derision and disgust.

If my family had donated even a large amount, I doubt that we would have missed it.

Years later, when I was away as a student, I had little extra spending money. One day as I exited the supermarket, a veteran asked me for a dollar to support Veterans of Foreign Wars. All I would receive in return was a small paper poppy.  I hesitated, then gave up my dollar.  That dollar would have been a cup of coffee. A tip in a diner on a rare meal out with friends. But once I had relinquished that dollar, I was amazed at how good I felt.  It was very freeing -- I felt lighter than air.

This is exactly what this Scripture is teaching!  Mother Teresa says, we must give -- and love-- until it hurts. Otherwise, it is no sacrifice at all.

In the verses leading up to this Scripture, Mark says, " In the course of His teaching, Jesus said to the crowds, 'Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.' "

In Roman times, homes were built with a dining room (triclinium) and an atrium. When Paul came to Corinth, not everyone from the whole church there could fit into one triclinium for a house church meeting. The overflow had nowhere else to go but to the atrium, but that was outside. Therefore, for those who partook of the meal, there were two classifications; one, the upper classes who dined comfortably indoors and two, the lower classes who were shunted into the atrium. [Source: Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, "St. Paul's Corinth"].

This is the root of Mark's Gospel verses, chiding those who take seats of honor at banquets. The radical love of Jesus insists that ALL are equally welcome at the table, whether slave or free, woman or man!

Notice that in Mark, it is not the possessing of wealth that is evil in and of itself. What is evil is the gathering of wealth at the expense of the widows, the marginalized and the poor. It is also the hoarding of wealth that is evil. It is the refusal to share, it is the donation only out of one's surplus, that is a sin.

It is also evil to believe oneself superior simply by being wealthy. The scribes "go around in long robes and accept seats of honor at banquets." I grew up around folks like that, who believed they were better because they were capable of making more money. They would say, "Those people need to take care of themselves. Why should WE give them our money?"

Much has been made in the press recently about Income Inequality. Unfortunately, I do not believe that our society will change so radically as to pay a custodian the same wages as a surgeon or a CEO.

BUT, as Christians, we are taught to personally value the janitor as much as we value the CEO.  In 1 Corinthians, Paul talks about our gifts as being all equally worthy: "Now, there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you', or again, the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' "   We are ALL one body in Christ, and all parts are not only necessary, but vital, to the whole.

As we are one body, we are all inter-connected and responsible for each other! But, Pope Francis has said, that we are not only unwilling to assist the marginalized, we are, worse yet, ignorant of the great need of the poor--- He has said, " This [is] what happens today: If the investments in the banks fall slightly. . a tragedy. . . what can be done? But, if people die of hunger, if they have nothing to eat, if they have poor health, it does not matter! This is our [real] crisis today!"

As a Christian, I find myself giving my time and my possessions more and more to those who need it most. Each day, I am either taking care of my family, taking care of a neighbor in need, of the homeless, of the sick, and even of a village in Africa.

Where we are most challenged, as Christians, though, is to give -- not from our surplus but from our core. In Matthew 19: 22-24, a rich young man asks how he can get to Heaven. Jesus replies, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven."

The widow in this Scripture gives up her last two "mites", worth about a couple of pennies. She does not give much in monetary terms, but she gives "her all".

It is Jesus who gives us His All, His very body and blood, for us.  And so, giving "our all" is the very least that we can do, for HIM !!!

This Giving Season, I dare you to give not from your surplus, but from your core. I challenge you to give more than you possibly think you can; to honor the God who loves you more than you could possibly imagine !

[Related postings: "Stored Up Treasure, 9/30/12; "All or Nothing", 9/30/15.]

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