The Widow's Change, a sermon on Mark 12:38-44

This was my first sermon in my field placement site. It brings up some interesting liturgical history specific to the parish.

Mark 12:38-44

Teaching in the temple, Jesus 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 comes to the edge of the temple grounds...

She is not allowed to go any farther...

She is allowed to go in just far enough to give her gift, to make her peace with God and show her love.

The temple barely notices it, such a small gift.

The temple does not see what her gift means for her.

The temple devours her and moves on.

Jesus notices it, such a great gift.

Jesus sees what her gift means to her.

Jesus connects with her and loves her.

Jesus responds to her gift just a few days later... On the cross... Giving up his life, his all, for her, for all the widows not allowed inside the temple door, for all of us.

There is no doubt that each of us is called to struggle with how to enter into this call to give, and give fully, and follow the example of the widow, of Jesus.

We are also, however, called to notice the gifts of others, see what those gifts mean to them, connect with and love them for their gifts...

And respond to those gifts... To give also of ourselves... To change...

Jesus' response, Jesus' giving, Jesus' changing was anything but easy...

Maintaining the status quo, not noticing, not seeing, not connecting... Not Loving... would be so much easier...

As Christians we are called into the difficult road of Love... Called to be in the midst of authentic relationship with others... Called to let the widow in... Called at points to change...

Which does not mean we like to do it very much... But we do enter into it.

Look at the stain glass windows, we would not think of changing them... But they are not original to the building... At some point the parish decided to add them, decided to change.

Consider where you are sitting, you probably sit about where you are sitting now most Sundays... If we moved all the pews think of the chaos... But the parish has done that, look down and at the centre of your pew, see the wood running in the opposite direction towards the altar?... Those are the original aisles, all the pews have been moved....

Look at the altar space... would we think for a moment to tear it all down and replace it?... But the parish did just that, took out the entire rear wall... Risking the structural integrity of the entire building... To change the central focus of our worship space...

We have entered into change... change that for an outsider might seem small or insignificant... No more significant than the small change of the widow... But for the worshipers in this space it was a significant change a radical change... Change we celebrate every time we enter into this space for worship...

 And we keep doing it...

The prayer book, it is the 1979 book of common prayer... But St. Peter's been using it since 1971... St. Peter's took up the change in the Prayer Book at the first possible moment...

The pulpit I am standing in is a change, a change we have only been working with for two Sundays.

The Gloria and Sanctus we have been singing... They are still new to us, they are a change... They are ones I love and have been excited to sing... but in a few weeks advent shall begin and with it shall come different service music...

Things we take as certain set things... Have changed... At points St. Peter's has jumped at the chance to take part in extreme risky change... We worship in a cycle that brings us to constantly shift and change... Change is a constant part of our lives, as individuals and as a community.

I came to St. Peter's to be changed, to be challenged, to be formed... This will happen as I notice what gifts this community has, see why these gifts are important to you, make connections with you, and enter into the Love of Christ that is embodied inside and outside of these walls by you... As I journey with you over the next months it is possible you might find yourself changing just a little as well...

We must celebrate the change St. Peter's embraced to become and remain a successful parish... We need to remain open to the change that will continue to make us Bearer's of Christ's love to all who enter our red church doors and all we meet outside them... We cannot fear change...

Because to fear change is to not let the widow, the other, the outsider in...

To fear change is to not notice the gifts others bring us...

To fear change is to not see how important those gifts are...

To fear change is to devour the others gift and move on...

Jesus calls us to notice the gifts others bring...

Jesus calls us to see how important those gifts are...

Jesus calls us to connect with and to Love those around us...

And to enter into the change those relationships bring... No matter what the cost...

Amen.