“Beware of the scribes,” Jesus says, “They 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.” Jesus “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. “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.”
What if Jesus is not honoring the widow who, from her poverty, gives all she has to the ruler class? What if he is lamenting the system that extracts the money from her? There is a promise by the ruler class that the money they extract from the people in taxes is returned to the people in social service needs. In reality, the money can just as often be used for rulers’ wants. In the Gospel Jesus notes money is used by rulers to make vain appearances in churches and places of honor. Today, we might note money is used for equally vain reasons in expensive election candidacies. We might note the widows are MAGA members contributing their last pennies to political campaigns. Hard and soft tyranny is ancient. Normalizing tyranny is the course of history. We have in Jesus someone who publicly criticizes rulers. Rulers claim the right to punish people who criticize them. Yet Jesus does so. Jesus more particularly in this circumstance, is publicly criticizing the scribal/media/copier class who dote on the rulers. We know who the rulers are in our time. We live amidst MAGA tyrants and MAGA supporters extracting our energy. They are extracting our moral reasoning and our well-being in and for community. They devise fictional threats from which to save us, with which their corporate scribes entertain us. Beware the rapists Mexico is sending. Beware the Muslims who are terrorists. Beware the liberals destroying us. Beware the journalists who traffic in fake news. Beware the trans person disgracing our God. Beware the Haitians eating our pets. Beware the enemy within. But of course, the only enemy within is the fear and its mongering in the tyrant and his cohort. Shall we follow Jesus’ behavior? Shall we gather the crowds? Amidst the tyrants’ lies and divisions shall we witness to them conscience and community?
“Beware the Tyrant… With untold minions to command… they yearn to cast aspersion By letting forth a hellish storm Against those of us… With thoughts different from their own. What about the children? They shriek about the public square… It’s an illusion old as time itself… To cast a weary outward gaze On those who differ from themselves To foment some distant craze… If only a word to bend the ear Of those who wish my end of days. Your rancor is misguided… freedom has a shelf life When you share not the Tyrant’s view.” (Beware the Tyrant – David Mchattie)
Prayer: Jesus, keep us wise about tyrants and loving in our commitments.
Question: What are the peaceful actions I am taking with others for conscience and community to end the tyranny?
November 10, 2024 Mark 12:38-44 Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time