In today’s Gospel Jesus condemns those who “swallow the poverty of widows.” The widow in the society of His time was an outcast. She had no inheritance rights from her husband’s property. Her eldest son would inherit and if there was no son she might be married to a brother of her deceased husband. If the brother refused, or if there was none, she would return to her father’s house or go begging. Widows, like other women, had no role in public or religious life. Jesus is sitting opposite the area in the Temple where financial gifts can be donated. Amidst all the ostentatious giving by affluent people He notices a poor widow humbly offering two coins. They are smallest coins in use, and she seems unaware that her tiny contribution is even noticed. But Jesus’ admiration for the widow is coupled with strong reservations about what is happening. Religious legislation was forcing widows to lose their homes, and even the poorest in society were expected to contribute financially to the Temple. This is an opportunity for Jesus to draw attention to the lowliest people in His society. But it is also a chance to lament the injustice that creates the conditions for this scene. It is a warning about wealth: that wealth and greed blind those who are affluent to the needs of vulnerable people, and that amazing wealth for the elite, and even for the religious establishment, means poverty for widows and those at the margins of society.

The injustice that afflicted the widows in scripture continue to affect those who are poor and vulnerable in our day. And we particularly remember the millions of widows globally who are victims of war and conflict, which have impoverished them. The Church has an obligation to work for peace and justice in the world, and constantly to reviews its economic practice to ensure that vulnerable groups are supported. The Church is called to have compassion for those on the margins of society with no wealth or influence. What about individual Christians? All of us are challenged not to let financial self-interest dominate our lives. The widow in the Gospel was able to let go of her security by giving her last coins – a small deed of love. We are called to be selfless with the resources at our disposal, particularly supporting poor and vulnerable people. Today’s readings encourage us to rely on God for all our needs, and thank God each day for the many blessings received and the small deeds of love that we experience.

We find many obstacles that get in the way of our discipleship. We are preoccupied with our hopes and anxieties. Many of these may be like those of the chosen disciples; we too are concerned with our security and whether life is going to be kind to us. The true disciple tries to see more clearly, trying to base the truth of his or her life on that of Christ, who is “the way, the truth and the life.” From time to time we too will be granted moments that offer us a significant step forward. They may be the difficult challenges that come with death, sickness or the loss of work and love ones. They may also be great moments of joy and elation when we are granted to see or hear things in a new way. What is common to all these moments is that they take us out of ourselves, and their aftereffects is that we too are more able to follow Jesus along the way. The great thing is that we too do not walk that way alone. We pursue our path in the great company of fellow pilgrims and believers, and we are supported by our risen Lord, always with us in His word and in His sacramental presence.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were anxious to share the glory of Jesus in His kingdom. Clearly, they didn’t understand what they were asking for. Yes, they said that they were prepared to do whatever Jesus would to do, but they were thinking about the worldly power and prestige that would come through their association with Jesus. They had yet to learn the lesson that the kingdom of Jesus does not confer wealth and status. On the contrary, the reign of God can only come about through humble service. The first places in God’s thinking belong to those at the bottom of the pile rather that the top. Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had foreseen that the leadership of Israel would no longer be in the hands of self-serving kings, but rather in those of a servant of God who would be prepared to suffer for the sake of His people. Jesus fulfills not only this new way of being a leader, but also becomes a new model of priesthood, as we read in today’s second reading. He is the supreme high priest who has access to God himself as he offers the sacrifice of His own blood in redemption for all of us. We can have absolute confidence, then, in Jesus, the servant king, the supreme high priest, who came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom of many.

As disciples of Jesus, are we moved to give of ourselves so that others may have a better life? Do we feel a human connection with people whose lives are in crisis for whatever reason? Or are we simply looking for ways to satisfy our hunger for power, possessions and pleasure? The choice to put ourselves at the service of others will never be easy. What will other people think? Is it a waste of a life when there is so much else that can be experienced in the world today? As followers of Jesus, we have the great reassurance that He has not only modelled a life of humble service and encouraged us to follow His example, He is now our intercessor in the presence of God the Father when we are in need of help. So today let us renew our commitment to follow Jesus in the way of humble service of those who need our help, trusting that He will help us to overcome our selfish tendencies to put ourselves in first place.

Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel tells us how serious a thing it is to offend against anyone in any way. Sin is always damaging, Jesus teaches us. Wrongdoing is never all right. Jesus speaks about a threefold way of sinning, with hand and foot and eye. These parts of our body are so precious and so vital in everything we do. His language is deliberately extreme, not meant to be interpreted in a literal fashion, for He is making the point that there are no half measures here. For example, different religious groups, different nationalities, difference of gender, none of these things should be an issue for us in the way we behave and treat one another. We are all human beings. What divides us, what has always divided us and always will divide us, unless we change our ways, is our inclination to sin and wrongdoing. It is then that we human beings create hell – a place where we have separated ourselves from God.

There are many places in this world that are truly a living hell. Wherever war breaks out, there is hell. Wherever persons persecute other people and make life hell for them, full of fear and threats and anger, such a place is a living Gehenna. Many people live in these conditions every day. God has nothing to do with sending people to hell. That is no part of Christian understanding. What we do understand is the ability of human beings to damn and to destroy; to destroy others and to damn themselves in the process. Jesus in His own life, would be a victim of this hellish behavior, when His opponents set out to destroy Him. Jesus knew what His suffering would be. That is why He had such a vivid realization if the seriousness of any kind of wrongdoing. Let us then rejoice in all good people everywhere, of any religion and of none. And let us remember that we, who are blessed to have faith in Christ Jesus, are called to follow His great example, and so be light to the world.

Today in the Gospel Jesus is telling His disciples about the kind of leadership He wants to see in His Church. But they seem deaf to what He says. He has told them already that His leadership will involve suffering and He will tell them a third time as they journey to Jerusalem. The disciples don’t understand why the Messiah should suffer and they are afraid to ask Him because it is a message they don’t want to hear. The conversation has been about who is the greatest among them, who wields the most power. Who is the top dog? Jesus knows His disciples are caught up in this desire for power, so He challenges them. Leadership in His Church must be based on service, so the one who wants to be first must be last. Jesus tells them they must learn to welcome not just the powerful but these insignificant children. If they do, they will be welcoming Jesus himself.

Jesus wants strong leadership for His Church. But He wants a leadership that does not dominate and insist on rank. It is a leadership that will inevitable come into conflict with alpha-male attitudes and, like Jesus, will have to suffer as it serves the weaker members of the community. In our parishes and homes, welcoming the “little children” will mean giving time for those who are sick, disabled, poor, mentally ill and vulnerable in all sorts of ways. In our competitive and often ruthless society, Christ is more likely to be found at the bottom of the social pile than at the top.