By Fr. Francis Gonsalves, SJ –
33rd Sunday of the Year – Cycle B
Dalit Liberation Sunday
Readings: 1 Kgs 17:10-16; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12:38-44
“This poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury” (Mk)
Three Scriptural Signposts:
1. Today’s readings, in general, and the CBCI commemoration of ‘Dalit Liberation Sunday’, in particular, must put us in touch with those who experience a ‘lack’ in life—who, for no fault of theirs, have or are ‘LESS’ than you and me: homeless, jobless, moneyless, aimless, etc. The first and third readings focus on one of such groups—the ‘anawim’—that enjoys God’s preferential option and protection: widows, since they are ‘spouseless’.
The other two groups are the orphans (parentless) and strangers (friendless). The plight of widows in ancient Israel was pathetic. A widow would often have to beg for food for herself and her children. Remember the widow Naomi and her widowed daughter-in-law, Ruth, in the ‘Book of Ruth’? Returning to Bethlehem with Ruth, Naomi cries out, “No longer call me Naomi, (which means ‘pleasant’), instead, call me Mara, a name that means ‘bitter’” (1:20). Ruth and Naomi—both widows—survive on salvaging leftovers in the barley fields after harvesters finish their work.
2. The widow of Zarephath in the first reading struggles to fight famine. She is about to cook the last of her leftover food for herself and her son before impending death. As was the case with other widows, no one bothers about her except God who sends Elijah to her aid. Prophet Elijah preached in the northern kingdom between 900 and 850 BC. He makes a humble request to her, twice: “Bring me a little water” and “Bring me a morsel of bread”. Basic food and drink. The widow is fully aware of her indigence; and the fact that she has truly reached rock bottom of her sparse resources: “… we may eat, and die.” Her utter poverty notwithstanding, she gives her all. This indicates her full trust in God, and in God’s prophet. She is richly rewarded, as, “The jar of meal was neither spent nor the jug of oil emptied.”
3. Today’s gospel, well known as the ‘widow’s mite’, contrasts two groups of people with contrasting dispositions: scribes and widows. The scribes—theologians of our day—are full of themselves and proud of their knowledge. They lack nothing; yet, they long for more and more: greater honours, best seats, distinctive robes, and recognition from others. Jesus does not mince words in exposing their evil and hypocrisy. He cautions his hearers: “Beware! … They [scribes] devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers.” In sharp contrast to the scribes, the poor widow quietly puts two small copper coins into the temple treasury. Jesus praises her because, “Out of her poverty she has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Three Texts from Tradition:
1. St. John Chrysostom (349-407 AD): “Almsgiving above all else requires money, but even this shines with a brighter luster when the alms are given from our poverty. The widow who paid in the two mites was poorer than any human, but she outdid them all.”
2. St. Bede (673-675 AD): “God weighs not the substance, but the conscience of the offerers.”
3. Bishop A. Neethinathan of Chengalpattu [on the need to respond to the Dalit question] – “Our credible and meaningful presence in the nation is possible only when we share the pain and agony of our children, sisters and brothers of Dalit origin. Let us strive our level best to accompany them through our collective efforts to realize the dream of Jesus, a new social order where love, peace, equality and justice reign supreme.”
Three Current Concerns:
1. Widows’ Concern:
The film ‘Water’ by Deepa Mehta tells the story of teenager Chuyia whose much-older, sickly husband dies soon after marriage. Chuyia is returned unceremoniously to her parents’ house, and then taken to Varanasi’s “widows’ house”. Like Chuyia, young and beautiful Kalyani too must lead a lifetime of shame and solitude with three options to choose from:
(a) to marry her husband’s brother if the family decides,
(b) to commit sati on her husband’s funeral-pyre, and,
(c) to spend a lifetime of celibacy and discipline among other widows. Why do widows live such pitiable lives—yesterday and today? Am I not responsible for the patriarchy and prejudice that perpetuate widows’ woes?
2. Dalit Concern:
Even today Dalits are discriminated against not only in society but in the Church. Why? The 2018 report from one of the states in India has this ‘complaint’ “The practice of caste can be found in the formation of parishes, denial of the share for the Dalit Christians in the administration of the parish, construction of separate chapels in the same village for Dalits and other caste Christians, discrimination in the facilities provided based on caste considerations, denial of employment opportunities and priesthood for Dalit Christians.” How can we all, as Church, respond to such complaints?
3. Kandhamal Concern:
We are commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Kandhamal persecutions when courageous Christians offered up their lives as ‘martyrs’. Seven Christians still languishing in jail. Tertullian famously said, “The Church is built on the blood of martyrs.” Are we ready to suffer and die in order to produce a rich harvest of Life?
A Possible Link of the 2nd Reading to the Main Theme: The reading of the Letter to the Hebrews speaks of Christ’s ‘high’ priesthood which, ironically, comes from ‘lowering’ himself and entering the Holy Place not with the blood of animals but with his own blood. This is the basis for all our ‘options’: for the poor, Dalits, Adivasis, etc.
Story told by Pope Francis on True Giving: “It is about a mother with her three children. The father was at work and the family was at table eating veal cutlets. Just then someone knocked at the door and one of the children—the young one who was 5 or 6 years old—the oldest was 7 years old—came and said, “Mom, there’s a beggar at the door asking for food.” And the mother, a good Christian, said, “What should we do?” “Give him some food” they said. “Ok.” She took the fork and knife and cut each person’s cutlet in half. “Oh no, Mom! Not like this! Take something from the refrigerator!” “No, we will make three sandwiches like this!” And thus, the children learned that the meaning of true charity means that you give not from what is left over but from what we need. I am certain that that afternoon they were a bit hungry, but this is the way to do it.”
In his book ‘The Prophet’ Kahlil Gibran writes, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
Fr. Francis Gonsalves is a Gujarat Jesuit, former Principal of Vidyajyoti College, Delhi, and currently Dean of Theology at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. He is also the Executive Secretary of the CCBI Commission for Theology and Doctrine. He has authored many books and articles and is a columnist with The Asian Age and The Deccan Chronicle national dailies.