I hope you find this to be a great faith activity for the whole family of all ages. This week’s theme is based on Reverend Christian Briones’ sermon and the scripture from the service.
Scripture
Mark 12: 41- 44
· (NRSV): The Widow’s Offering: 41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
· (Message): 41-44 Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all.”
· (CEB): A poor widow’s contribution: 41 Jesus sat across from the collection box for the temple treasury and observed how the crowd gave their money. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money. 42 One poor widow came forward and put in two small copper coins worth a penny.[a] 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than everyone who’s been putting money in the treasury. 44 All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on.”
· (ICB): 41 Jesus sat near the Temple money box where people put their gifts. He watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money. 42 Then a poor widow came and gave two very small copper coins. These coins were not worth even a penny. 43 Jesus called his followers to him. He said, “I tell you the truth. This poor widow gave only two small coins. But she really gave more than all those rich people. 44 The rich have plenty; they gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor. But she gave all she had. And she needed that money to help her live.”
Questions and Family Wonderings Based on Above Scripture
- Who are the different people in this story?
- Where are they?
- What are they doing?
- Why are they doing what they are doing?
- Do you think that an offering given is any better or worse than the other offerings?
- I wonder why it is important to be a giver.
- I wonder if there is an appropriate time not to give, give less, or give in other ways besides money.
Thoughts from the Director of Faith Formation
As Christians at Mayflower, we focus a lot on giving. Giving money. Giving time. Giving other resources. We give all these things in order to help bring about God’s dream of justice on earth. We give because climate change is real. We give because black lives matter. We give because we believe in immigration justice. We give because trans lives are sacred lives too. And, there are so many other reasons why we give.
Have you ever felt though, that we give so much that our spiritual cup gets too empty? Or, our financial cup, especially during these pandemic times? When is it OK to take a step back for a moment and focus on our spiritual relationships to these things?
There is a great saying that I try to always remember, “in case of a emergency, put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others.” We can’t give the best of ourselves if we are not able to spiritually or physically.
It’s great to give of our time, talent, and treasures for sure. It’s also great to have a balance in life. If we give so much that there is nothing left, and we are feeling stressed out, tired, and not sure why we are doing what we are doing anymore, that is something to pay attention to!
Taking time to pray, sleep, eat well, laugh, dance like no one is looking, and just play is also so so good. And, it’s OK to do these things in balance with giving of yourself to others and to the earth. When we can find a balance, our ability to share might just increase.
Healthy Giving/ Receiving — A Family Activity
Many of us have items in our pantries that have been there for a while! I know that I do! I always say, “I’ll use this for ___________, so I’ll just keep it for a little while longer.” And then, I never make that new recipe!
And, some of us may need items in our pantry, but may not know how to go about doing that. I mean, you probably know where the food pantries are, but it can be really hard sometimes to bring yourself to accepting help. This activity is for both those who have extra, and those that need something.
Giving and receiving both have faith implications involved. How do we give and/or receive faithfully? How do we give and/or receive as a family?
· Have a conversation about it. What is a way we could be helpful without giving too much? Or, why is it totally OK and normal to need help, especially during this pandemic time?
· Choose a place to give or receive. Mayflower is faith partners with VEAP and would love if you gave to this organization. And, it’s ok to encourage your family to research other ones too. Feel free to visit VEAP’s website for more information.
· Before you go, say a prayer! Saying a prayer is a great way to tie your actions to faith. A prayer can also be a verbal recognition of the prayers we do with our bodies, like being healthy givers and/or receivers. Here is a simple prayer that may work for you. But, always feel free to make up your own prayer as a family if you would like to, too!!
o For the food we eat and the love we share, we thank you, God. (Smith, Traci. Prayers for Faithful Families. Beaming Books, MN. Pg. 16)
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