Remembrance Sunday - Mark 12:38-44

AUDIO RECORDING OF TODAYS REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE 

A Remembrance Sunday Reflection on Mark 12:38-44 

On this Remembrance Sunday, we reflect on the sacrifice and courage of those who served in times of war, those who gave up their lives, and those who bore witness to incredible suffering, all in the hope of building a world of peace. Our Gospel passage from Mark 12 offers us a striking image of sacrifice and humility that speaks directly to this Day of Remembrance.

In this passage, Jesus observes people bringing their offerings to the Temple. The wealthy give large sums, visible to all, but a poor widow quietly places two small copper coins into the treasury—an amount so small that it would go unnoticed by most. Yet, Jesus sees her act and says, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the rest. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

The widow’s offering is, in worldly terms, insignificant, but Jesus suggests that in God’s eyes, it is priceless. Jesus measures her gift not by its material value but by the love and sacrifice with which it is given. She gives, not out of her abundance, but out of her very being. Her gift is a complete offering of herself, her whole trust placed in God. She gives all she has.

The sacrifice and self-giving of the poor widow is significant in a deeper sense in Mark’s Gospel, for it comes not long after Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem, the place where he has repeatedly warned his disciples of the sacrifice of his own life to come.  Repeatedly the disciples have failed to understand.  But in this unknown and socially insignificant woman, who stands on the margins of life, we see one who has already entered the Way of the Kingdom in contrast to the rich and the powerful, and in contrast to the disciples themselves all who are all in one way or another seeking rewards, recognition, wealth or glory. 

As we remember those who served in wars past and present, we can recognize something of this widow’s spirit in them. Many who went to war gave of themselves in a way that cannot be measured by any worldly calculation. They offered not out of abundance or for personal gain, but from a deep sense of duty and selflessness. Their sacrifice, like the widow’s, often came without recognition or reward, a quiet giving of their very lives to protect others, to defend peace, and to resist the forces of hatred and division.

Psalm 146 complements this message by calling us to place our trust not in the powerful of this world but in God alone, “who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry, opens the eyes of the blind, raises those who are bowed down... watches over the foreigner, relieves the fatherless and widow; who lifts up those who are bowed down.” The psalm reminds us that real strength and security are not found in armies or wealth, but in God’s unwavering love and justice. Those we remember today embodied that same spirit of trust, willing to sacrifice their safety for the hope of a world shaped by compassion, justice, and peace.

The heart of such sacrifice is love. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that even if we accomplish great feats, without love, we gain nothing. “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” Love, Paul tells us, “is patient, love is kind… it does not seek its own advantage.” Love is at the centre of every true sacrifice. Those who served and fell in the line of duty surely did so not for self-advancement but ultimately for love—love for family, country, freedom, and peace.

In light of today’s Gospel, we are invited to honour that love by cultivating a spirit of humility, generosity, and self-giving. Just as the widow gave her all, we too are called to give of ourselves, to love one another sacrificially, and to work for a world of peace. 

May we honour those who served, then, not only with words but by living out the values they defended. Let us work for justice, pray for peace, and live with hearts open to all, seeking to heal divisions and bridge divides. And may we be willing to offer our own small acts of love and kindness—our own “two copper coins”—for the sake of a world where all may live in dignity, harmony, and hope.  

In remembering their sacrifice, may we also be inspired to place our trust in the God of peace and justice, who lifts up the humble and honours the small acts of love that so often go unseen. And may we, like the widow, be willing to give all that we have, that we too might bear witness to God’s love in this world.