THE POOR WIDOW (Mk 12:41-44) …. littleness as a blessing
The texts published here are taken from the report that Sister Simona Brambilla, MC, Prefect of our Dicastery, gave to the Polish Conference of Major Superiors in September 2024.
Through four biblical icons, the challenges that Consecrated Life is called to live today are expressed.
3. THE POOR WIDOW (Mk 12:41-44) …. littleness as a blessing
In consecrated life, the acute crisis brought about by the decrease in numbers and strength is often experienced as something negative, wrong, arousing doubt, perplexity, malaise. The “substitution mentality” still struggles to give way to welcoming littleness as a blessing, to “changing course,” to freedom from certain geometries, geographies, patterns and measurements that today do not help the fruitfulness of the Charism. In this third setting we will be enlightened by the figure of the poor widow, from Mark’s Gospel.
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.” (Mk 12:41-44)
The Gospel image of the poor widow can effectively become a blessed icon of our journey as Christian women and men, as consecrated women and men, and as Institutes that, in littleness, humility, essentiality and freedom of surrendering everything to God find joy and missionary fruitfulness.
We need to let Him convert our gaze and make it a little more like His own, able to immediately intercept the irresistible and humblest, noble and gracious power of the poor widow who throws her whole life into the treasure, which belongs totally to God. Yes, the beautiful stones and great buildings will fall, the poor widow, on the other hand, will enter the Gospel, will become Gospel!.