In today's Gospel reading (v. 38-40), a characteristic picture of the Scribes and their way of life is depicted. Jesus denounced the way of the life of the Scribes - one of false religiosity and oppression of the weak - and He praises the example of a poor widow whose religiosity and self-surrender to God is real.

As Jesus was warning against externalism in religion, we are challenged to examine ourselves in this area. Seeking honour and recognition based on one's profession as religious leaders is tantamount to making use of God and religion for one's own selfish purposes.

On the act of offering as in the widow's mite (v. 41-44) Jesus wants to use this to teach us that we must give ourselves to God totally, trusting ourselves to Him which is opposed to trust in self, money and power. The more we possess the less capable we become of giving ourselves. The offering of this poor widow symbolizes the reversal of the value system of the world which the Kingdom of God brings about.

This was lived out in the life of St Paul whose single-mindedness in Christ could make him say ¡K 'I have fought the good fight to the end and I have run the race to the finish, I have kept the faith, all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me.'