Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all!"
She had every reason to be bitter. The circumstances of life had dealt a ton of harshness for her to handle.
Though talented, she went unrecognized for years. Prestigious opera circles closed their ranks when she tried to enter. American critics ignored her compelling voice. She was repeatedly rejected for parts for which she easily qualified. It was only after she went to Europe and won the hearts of tough-to-please European audiences that stateside opinion leaders acknowledged her talent.
Not only was her professional life a battle, her personal life has been marked by challenge. She is the mother of two handicapped children, one of whom is severely retarded. Years ago, in order to escape the pace of New York City, she purchased a home on Martha''s Vineyard. It burned to the ground two days before she was to move in.
Professional rejection. Personal setbacks. Perfect soil for the seeds of bitterness. A receptive field for the roots of resentment. But in this case, anger found no home.
Beverly Sills. Internationally acclaimed opera singer. Retired director of the New York City Opera.
Her phrases are sugared with laughter. Her face is softened with serenity. Upon interviewing her, Mike Wallace stated that "she is one of the most impressive-if not the most impressive-ladies I''ve ever interviewed."
How can a person handle such professional rejection, personal trauma, harshness, and still be known as Bubbles? "I choose to be cheerful," she says. "Years ago I knew I had little or no choice about success, circumstances or even happiness; but I knew I could choose to be cheerful."
*Sermon on Luke 21.1-4 by Eric S. Ritz. "LIVING WITH THE ACHES AND ALLELUIAS." Story from Max Lucado. The Applause From Heaven.
COMMENTS
Why do some persons become embittered by the challenges and misfortunes of life, while other persons become kinder, more gracious, more giving, and more joyful beings?
Our Gospel Story invites us into the world of a woman suffering both socio-religious alienation and consequent poverty. Being a woman alone, she had few rights. Being poor she had little social standing and was judged by popular religion as a second-class citizen of the Kingdom of God. Politically and religiously this woman at church on a certain day was another anonymous outcast, a nobody. She was not politically or religiously-correct.
Do you sense the frustration and aloneness that she possibly lived with daily? Or, is it possible her very alienation had drawn her so close to God to be untouched by human estimation of her? Possibly, she saw her social and religious situation as a means better to serve God and others in singular, authentic, and true Love.
In ways I have known the poverty of being outcast in the larger Church culture. I forfeited what was once a promising career leading to a large income. I left a conservative school where I was a professor due to its strong directions toward religious fundamentalism. I have struggled in church after church with persons who believe in a dogmatic form of Christianity without spirituality. I have endured name smearing and verbal attacks on my reputation and right to serve as a pastor.
Now, I serve in a religious system-not the local church I serve but the larger Body in the state-that seems not to know what to do with me. While it affirms my gifts and person, leadership cannot seem to locate where this highly-educated, devoted contemplative pastor fits in an obviously un-contemplative social-church climate and where growth in numbers-along with mere survival-seem antithetical to churches desiring a spiritual pastor who focuses as much as I do on spirituality as inward transformation. This happens in spite of the fact that this very approach of inner transformation is the tradition of the Church and of the Wesleyan Church, with contemplation being the goal of spiritual growth in the patristic Church.
I say the above without offering blame. I have a higher aim. I am saying that many of us Christians face the perplexity of the poverty of aloneness, being ignored, being treated by the sacral systems we live in as an impractical anomaly, and being given little voice to challenge the dominant values of systems that perpectuate shortcomings by ignoring the very presences that might be a part of the future to resolving those dilemmas.
We have at least three choices, and we each decide. We can silently work within these systems with true humility. Or, with the same true humility, we can represent the Spirit of Christ by voicing the subtle religious-systemic injustices under the veneer or utilitarian motives that silence the Voice of Spirit and dissidents to offer loving corrective to values of the larger religio-system. A third response is to leave the system and seek to be a means of grace in a system open to the gifts of the spiritual man or woman who cannot be given a place in the present context.
The impoverished woman gratefully gave all she had, and she gave it into a religio-system that, like most religio-systems, has a clear measure of hypocrisy and nonspiritual motives. And this of what I speak may be as much or more among upper leadership as among the laity, for I am convinced laity reflect the leaders. If leaders become clearly authentic, bold, spiritual men and women, laity will follow the example.
The impoverished woman gave her money out of her relationship with the God she trusted and loved daily. She gave her best from her heart. Sometimes, we are called by Providence to do the same. We may serve in a system, "sacral" or "common," deeply flawed and blind to its hypocrisies, inner contradictions, and lack of clear, just direction.
In such contexts, we, as I once did, may find it necessary for our integrity or well-being to leave the system. More often than not, however, we are to remain and serve as best we can, as graciously as we can, and without becoming bitter about the injustices and favoritisms of the system. One can, indeed, do well by praying, if he or she feels led, to remain as much out of touch with the larger system and its politics ~ and many pastors do exactly this ~ as possible but not to compromise loyalty to the larger group. Here, the person focuses on the immediate context of service, while, of course, remaining loyal to the over-all goodwill of the larger group. Contemplatives and other persons most focused on true spiritual transformation will be among those most likely to remain devoted to the larger system but most alert not to be pulled into the politics of the larger group. This may cost him or her status in the larger system with the benefits thereof, but this may be the path of devotion Providence calls him or her. His or her very gift to the over-all Church might demand a nonattachment that might be misunderstand by some as being disloyal. Rather, his or her loyalty may demand more distance truly to be what he or she is as God calls the person through gifts and graces. Of course, being faithful in this less-than-hospitable system might be the prelude to being blessed by God later for the work that provides the context to welcome the one who has faithfully lived in the poverty of being the outcasts.
Last, the trials the spiritual person might endure from his or her associations with what is often an un-spiritual religious institution, and thus subtly hostile to his or person and gifts, does not mean that this situation is to be endured with grim determination and, certainly not, bitterness. Beverly Sills teaches us that cheerfulness arises from within us, as we are gifted with the Grace of Christ. We can say "No!" to any system taking away the fundamental joy that arises from our connection and communication with Christ. For truly spiritual persons to survive, or thrive, well, the constant choice to act in loving defiance through the very expression of such joy might be his or her greatest witness to the larger religio-system.
* * *
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his wife, Rocio, their two dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, and their fish, Hope, in Florida. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and inspires others to experience a deeper relationship with Christ. He advocates for a spiritually-focused Christianity and the renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons and empathic relating with diverse spiritual traditions, East and West.
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