By Francis Gayang csc –
Readings: 1Kgs 17:10-16; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12:38-44
The Scribes during Jesus’s time were professional copyists. They were highly esteemed and were differentiated by their dress code and lifestyle. They were conscious of their appearance and loved to be looked at with deep respect.
Jesus gave a warning to the people against the behaviour of the Scribes. Jesus equalizes the behaviour of the Scribes to that of wild animals as they could be dangerous and harmful to others. He himself was their victim as he was being accused of breaking the law given by Moses.
Now, for those of us who are given respectable positions in society, the question is: are we using our office and status as an opportunity to hijack others for building our self-image like the Scribes of Jesus’ time?
Like the rich people in the gospel, our contribution may be big but when measured against genuineness, it may be valueless. When a poor widow sacrifices her one meal to contribute to the temple treasure, it is valuable. The invitation for me is to reflect on my genuineness in responding to the call of Jesus. Am I sacrificing the best that I have? Or am I sacrificing what is less valuable to me? If my hidden agenda is inappropriate, then whatever I do will have no weight in the sight of God. As a religious, there is a great possibility for me to behave like a Scribe.
Therefore, I need to continue my prayer, discern, and be genuine to myself. My response to Jesus should be like that of John, the Baptist, “I must decrease, and he should increase.” I should be a Scribe of Christ who walks with gospel values and teaches in the spirit of a servant leader.