Is Your Heart In It?
Tain't what you do it's the way you do it!

". . . this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury"
Mark 12:43

A life insurance salesman visited a woman who had been recently widowed. For thirty five years her late husband had sacrificed much in order to maintain a substantial life insurance policy. "Your husband often told me how determined he was to see that you would be well-provided for after he was gone," the salesman said. "And so I am here to present you, as beneficiary, with this check for $500,000." The widow tearfully accepted the check then, wiping her eyes, she said, "Nothing can replace that wonderful husband of mine who left me this $500,000. But I can tell you this, for certain -- I'd give at least half of it to have him back."

The thought of getting her "irreplaceable" husband back had a certain appeal for that rich widow. But, clearly, her heart wasn't in it.

In today's Gospel, Jesus watches a poor widow who has come to the Temple and, along with others, is putting her offering in the collection box. "Many of the rich put in a great deal," Mark tells us, while "a poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny." Having observed this, Jesus says to His disciples, "I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the Treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had put in everything she possessed -- all she had to live on" (Mk. 12:42-44).

To some, Jesus may seem to have a rather queer way of reckoning money. The large amounts contributed by the rich surely are worth more that the widow's penny. But Jesus explains Himself; the rich gave from their surplus wealth -- money they didn't really need; she gave from her want -- her survival money. The rich gave a great deal, but their heart wasn't in it; the widow gave little money but her heart was in it totally. In other words, she put her complete faith and hope and trust in the Lord God. She sidestepped the bookkeeper's mentality we often adhere to in calculating our gift-giving to God.

Of course, money alone is never enough to provide for the needs of the Church. In the absence of a living faith -- a "hearts-are-in-it" faith -- the Church building and Church services and Church activities would be meaningless. Clearly, the true value of a gift cannot be measured by its surface content. What really matters is whether or not the giver is holding back something of himself or herself.

There is a little story (it's only a story) in which Jesus decides that He is ready to choose His twelve Apostles. He rules out ordinary methods of advertising as inadequate. Consequently, He decides to stage an Olympics from which the twelve would be chosen. Participants come from all over and the competition is fierce . . .

First comes the Olympics "Prayer Event." All the contestants have practiced long and hard as evidenced by the speed with which they recite prayer after prayer. Some try to impress Jesus with big words. Some use lofty words. Others emphasize pious words. But Jesus selects none of them. They had recited just words: their hearts weren't in it.

Next comes the "Worship Event." These contestants too are well-prepared. Some are wearing very colorful, gaudy garments. Some present beautiful music. Some emphasize showy gestures. But, again, Jesus chooses none of them. They had performed with precision, but their hearts weren't in it.

Then comes the "Teaching Event." These contestants also are well-prepared. Some bring elaborate posters. Some come with well-written talks. Some organize group discussions. But, again, there are no winners. Jesus selects none of them. They had demonstrated a variety of teaching methods -- but their hearts weren't in it.

And so the Olympics ended. No winners. No Apostles. Exhausted, and a bit exasperated by the event, Jesus goes down to the seaside to cool off and relax. There he sees some fisherman casting their nets, and He is greatly impressed by their attitude and approach to the task before them. Here are some men who know how to put their hearts into their work. And so Jesus chooses them to be His Apostles: "Fishers of Men."1

For Jesus, religion was first and foremost a spiritual affair -- an affair of the heart. For Jesus, the external religious exercises in themselves were meaningless if they did not reflect an inner, heartfelt dedication to the spirit of God's Word. "Be on guard against the Scribes who like to parade around in their robes and recite long prayers for their appearances sake," Jesus warns His disciples in today's Gospel (Mk 12:38,39).

In a small monastery there was a monk who was extremely shy. He lived in terror of the day when the Abbot would say to him, "Tomorrow you preach in Chapel." Sure enough, the day came when the Abbot scheduled him to preach. The monk mounted the pulpit and said, "Do you know what I'm about to say?" The assembled monks shook their heads from side to side. "No." Whereupon, the shy monk announced, "Neither do I. The service is ended. Go in peace." The disappointed Abbot rescheduled the monk to preach the next morning. Again he stepped into the pulpit and asked, "Do you know what I'm going to say?" To encourage him, all the monks nodded, "Yes." Whereupon, the shy monk said, "Well, if you all know what I'm going to say, there's no reason for me to say it. The service is ended. Go in peace." The angry Abbot scolded the shy monk, saying, "Tomorrow is your last chance!" The next morning the monk looked down from the pulpit and asked, "Do you know what I'm about to say?" Some of the monks shook their heads "Yes" and some shook their heads "No." They thought they had the shy monk cornered. But he said, "Well then, will those of you who know what I am about to say kindly tell those who don't know. The service is ended. Go in peace."

Whatever else might be said about that man's attitude and approach to preaching, clearly his heart wasn't in it.

Either we are devoting our lives freely and fully to the Cause of Christ or we are not. Either we are committing ourselves in everything we do to the Cause of Peace and Brotherhood or we are not. Put another way, either we are the hypocrites of our time, or we are not.

A mother and father received a wedding anniversary card, hand-made by their six-year-old son with all the love and devotion he could put into it. It was smudged with crayon marks and glue. On the front there was a drawing of Dad that makes him look more than a bit scrawny. And a drawing of Mom that makes her look a bit out of shape. If they judge only by outward appearances, the parents might be tempted to consign the card to the waste basket. If they respond in the same spirit in which the card was made, they can truly say that it is the most beautiful anniversary greeting they could possibly have received.

It has been said, "What is essential is invisible to the eye. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly."

When you come to Church and pray from the heart you are seeing rightly. When you come to Church and give from the heart, you are seeing rightly. When you leave this Church and offer yourself to others in the heartfelt spirit of love, you are

seeing rightly.

We cannot hope to experience growth as human beings and children of God by living as modern-day Scribes, constantly performing "for appearances sake," as Jesus puts it. The refrain from a popular song of the thirties begins and ends with this line:

Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it, that's what gets results.

When it comes to the CAUSE OF CHRIST, put your heart and soul into it. That's what gets results.