Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings got me to thinking about our Parish discipleship theme “Being the Body of Christ” in a slightly different way. I remember the very moment I began to truly feel part of the community at my parish. It was nearly 8 years ago when my father passed away. I had been attending the Rock with Jesus Mass at Immaculate Conception for quite a while and I always sat in the back in the same area of the church. A woman walked by before church and asked me how I was. I’m not sure if she expected anything more than the usual “Fine, thank you”, but I blurted out that my father had passed away several days earlier. She stopped and sat down next to me and began to ask me questions about my Dad. She did not seem to be in a hurry although I knew she had work to do and Mass was starting in just a few minutes. The most wonderful thing happened after that. A few minutes into the Mass, I noticed she was sitting behind me. I knew she never sat in that area and she usually sat with her husband. Now it doesn’t really matter the reason, but I felt that this woman knew I had just lost my Dad and that I was sitting alone at church and she decided to sit near me. I felt I was not alone. I felt deeply cared for. I felt loved. It was that evening I truly became part of my parish community. Since that time, I have related this story to her and she seemed surprised. She did not think she did anything special or out of he ordinary. She simply acted out of love and community. I was reminded of this incident when I reflected on today’s Scripture passages because we just never know how one little action on our part will forever impact another person in our community.
Today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke tells of Jesus pointing out to his disciples the contrast between the treasury offering of a poor widow and the offerings of the Scribes. Just prior to this passage, Jesus disdains the Scribes for their hypocrisy and love of power and honor. Their treasury offerings are made for show and really cost them nothing. The widow, on the other hand, has “offered her whole livelihood”. What kind of person would offer their entire livelihood to the treasury? If I take some time to really think about this woman I can begin to picture what she was like. Even having only the slightest glimpse of her, I imagine she was generous, humble, and lived in deep trust of God. But in addition to this, I believe she must have been part of a strong community that loved her, cared for her, and met her simple daily needs. This community must have been the very face of God for her.
In today’s world, our faith communities look and function quite different than those of the earliest disciples. We often see each other only at worship on Sunday or intermittently for specific ministries and we often live quite a distance from each other and may not socialize with one another except for parish functions. These realities mean we have to work that much harder and put forth a more concerted effort to develop the depth and commitment in our relationships worthy of being part the Body of Christ. Communities are formed and their growth fostered by the sum intentions and actions of the individuals that belong to them. We may not have the opportunity to change the lives of each person in our community but God knows this and I do not believe this is what He asks of us. In a mysterious and sacred manner, each act of love, generosity, and selflessness that we offer, ripples through our community and grows the Kingdom of God toward a greater fullness. Indeed we each make an eternal difference. Our personal challenge is to stay awake and respond to the multitude of opportunities that do come our way.
Dear Holy Creator God,
I thank you for the gift of community.
Grant me the grace this day to graciously respond
to the opportunities you place before me
that I may further bless and build the Body of Christ.
With the intercession of the Blessed Virgin,
In Jesus’ name. Amen
-Gail Lyman