Reflections on Scripture | Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
Mark 12:38-44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said,
"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."

He 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."

Reflection

Jesus says to us over and over again, There's something so important about being poor. And it's not about money. It's about whether or not we feel that we have all that we need and do not need anything from God. It's so easy to fall into that trap when life is easy and life is good.

But we must know that there comes a point always in life, where we admit without God we are lost. We are empty. We are broke. We need Him.

Closing Prayer

Father, we often grow closer to you in times when we are not in control and cannot make things happen that we feel need to happen. Bless us in that time when we can grow in our understanding that nothing that we're called to do can be as full as rich as you intend without you, without your wisdom, without your grace, without your love. Help us depend more and more on you than ourselves. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflections Archives

Kyle Cross