Halloween is over and now: it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Everywhere you turn – the lights are up, the stores are decked out, the advertisements are running … and be on the look out for homes to start putting up the decorations soon. As all the decorations push us towards the Christmas rush, I am reminded in them that it is time for us to start looking towards the season of preparation, the season of Advent. In just three short weeks we will be celebrating the first Sunday of Advent … a season that calls us to get ready, do what we need to do in order to get our spiritual houses in order so that we are prepared to receive God anew in our living. As I look forward to the readings we will share this Advent season, the gospel texts are full of warnings and reminders of the end times – that heaven and earth are going to meet in a new way, and not everyone will be pleased by this meeting.

This morning's gospel text is a head's up for this theme … it's time for judgment and repentance, get your spiritual houses in order. Jesus is saying: "It's all coming down." If you have sat through enough sermons on giving through the years you have probably heard about this widow that Jesus speaks of: "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 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." I find it interesting that the people who put the lectionary together time this reading to fall in early November, when most churches are doing their big stewardship push. The widow is said to be our example. This is the way we are supposed to give – there is an abundance of preaching that extol this woman's actions. There is indeed much to be said of the widow's actions that point us on the way to generosity. Our Sunday School children have made a pledge to the church. I am reminded of the widow's actions in their giving. There is something about the vulnerability and innocence of their giving that should be an example to all of us.

But, we also need to pay attention to the whole story here … if we just pull out the verses about the widow's actions, we miss the point. Remember what is going on just before Jesus makes mention of the widow: "As he taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." And then right after: "As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!" Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."

You begin to get the point that this is as much a story extolling the widow's spirit as it is a story about judgment and warning … asking us if our house is in order, are we ready to receive the good news that Jesus offers us. It's something to consider as we make and receive our commitments of giving for next year. First, do we give with the hope and trust of our children … the widow in the story? In the widow's time it was the temple treasury that was entrusted with taking care of the widows and the orphans. Nothing represented more the soul of a community in this time than how they took care of their most vulnerable – the widows and orphans. In her giving, the widow is saying: "I am trusting you to take care of me, to take care of the orphan." It may be reading a bit much into her gift, but why not – to say that her giving is not only an act of trust, but a sign of hope. She had to know the temple scribes weren't living up to their charge, but maybe her giving was a sign she hadn't given up on them … that they might take Jesus' warning to heart and change their ways, reclaim their charge. Trust and hope … may our commitments be made with such a faith.

The warning – What will we do with the gifts and are given to us with hope and trust? Before we go on with this question – it is easy to slip into the trap of "they." They aren't doing this, they are doing it wrong, they are not taking care of me and so on. The blame game. Last Sunday, I went to church in Kansas City … on the internet. My first time "attending" church on line. A part of the sermon was about when the church gets it wrong – particularly in the areas of pastoral care. The preacher said the first response of the church is to apologize, yes, you are right, we missed you … I'm sorry no one returned your call, your email. But, he also reminded the congregation that if you are in the hospital and no one visits to pick up the phone and say "I'm here … I need you to come and visit me." Or send another email or call again. We can't always assume that everyone knows we are in the hospital. Long gone are the days when a hospital notified the church office when members were hospitalized. The point being – we are they. We are all responsible for how the church is doing, how it is running, getting things right, offering deep hospitality. Not one of us can sit back and blame "they." Again we are they … or as the hymn says: "I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together."

As the church together, we hear Jesus' words of warning to us. How will we faithfully use the gifts that are entrusted to us … using them so that the most vulnerable among us might be cared for? God trusts us to be the church. May our gifts and our giving be a reflection of that trust … and ultimately a reflection of God's gift to us in sending Jesus. For it is in the gift of Jesus we find our hope and example. This is the day we give our gifts with the hope and trust of the widow … and with the knowledge that we are the church entrusted with the work of Jesus Christ.