Marcos 12
Jerome · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Marcos 12:42
The poor widow cast only two pennies into the treasury; yet because she gave all she had it is said of her that she surpassed all the rich in offering gifts to God. Such gifts are valued not by their weight but by the good will with which they are made. — LETTER 118, TO JULIAN 5
Marcos 12:42
I pass on to the widow in the gospel who, though she was but a poor widow was yet richer than all the people of Israel. [Mark 12:43] She had but a grain of mustard seed, but she put her leaven in three measures of flour; and, combining her confession of the Father and of the Son with the grace of the Holy Spirit, she cast her two mites into the treasury. All the substance that she had, her entire possessions, she offered in the two testaments of her faith. These are the two seraphim which glorify the Trinity with threefold song [Isa. 6:2-3] and are stored among the treasures of the church. They also form the legs of the tongs by which the live coal is caught up to purge the sinner's lips. [Isa. 6:6] — LETTER 54, TO FURIA 17
Marcos 12:44
There is an old saying that a miser lacks as much what he has as what he has not. The believer has a whole world of wealth; the unbeliever has not a single farthing. Let us always live "as having nothing and yet possessing all things." [2 Cor. 6:10] Food and raiment, these are the Christian's wealth. [1 Tim. 6:8] If your property is in your own power, [Cf. Acts 5:4] sell it: if not, cast it from you. "If any man... will take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also." [Matt. 5:40] You are all for delay, you wish to defer action: unless-so you argue-unless I sell my goods piecemeal and with caution, Christ will be at a loss to feed his poor. Nay, he who has offered himself to God, has given Him everything once for all. The apostles did but forsake ships and nets. [Matt. 4:18-22] The widow cast but two brass coins into the treasury [Mark 12:41-44] and yet she shall be preferred before Croesus with all his wealth. He readily despises all things who reflects always that he must die. — LETTER 53, TO PAULINUS 11