It’s veteran’s day. Did you know that there is an historic high in veteran suicides? It’s time to pay better attention to all sectors of our society; to take another look at the social services and technology that can help address this important issue. Our veterans are at risk.
Veterans today are like the widows in Jesus’ day. They give sacrificially, and we want to celebrate their sacrifice and even model it in our own lives. But their sacrifice is needed because of the untenable, unacceptable, situation they are in due to injustice, inattention, because we as a community, as a state, or nation, have not adequately provided for them.
Historic voter turnout in this week’s midterm elections is a positive sign of civic engagement. Along with the political analysts and pundits, in the coming months the nation will realize the hope of Election Day outcomes. But as citizens, we “vote” and make “decisions” every day on what matters most to us and what we care about. In a way, Election Day is every day, especially for followers of Jesus Christ. Throughout Scripture, the litmus test for loyalty as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ is this: How do we treat the poor and vulnerable? How do we care for the least of these? On Sunday we will meet a widow described in our Gospel text from Mark 12 who dropped two small coins in the offering box. Jesus said she gave more than the larger amounts from more affluent worshippers. We will discover WHY this woman was poor and vulnerable how God calls us to make decisions rooted in grace and gratitude as engaged people of faith.