Penny Prophets

Seeing God’s style of saving us

John 13:31-33A, 34-35

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

          I have in my hand a little penny. If you were to see a penny on the sidewalk, would you stop to pick it up? Some might, but a lot of people would pass up a penny, thinking it’s hardly worth the effort. Why? Well, because in our world, we’re after bigger things than a little penny: we want a bigger home, and fancier cars, and a bigger bank account. We don’t think much of little things like a poor penny.

          But God thinks in exactly the opposite way; for him the small and insignificant means a great deal, even a penny. Consider these examples from the Bible. Psalm 84:11 says, “Better one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” That is, one day in church is more valuable than a thousand days on the beach. Jesus says in Matthew 10:30, “Even all the hairs of your head are counted [by God].” It wouldn’t take God very long to count all the hairs on my head. Jesus praises the widow who put in two small coins – two pennies – in Luke 21:3, saying, “This poor widow put in more than all the rest.” For Jesus, two pennies are worth more than a donation of millions of dollars.  And in today’s gospel Jesus says, “My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.” Now, you’d think that would make the disciples sad that they only have a little time left with Jesus. But if you’ve been catching on to God’s style of saving us, a little means a lot.  In other words, even to spend a second with Jesus is worth more than an eternity without him.

          My friends, try to be more sensitive to small things, and you’ll more easily see God’s style of saving us. For example, here at Mass, we receive a small wafer of Bread and a sip of wine that hardly wets the lips. But we also receive Jesus, the Lord of the universe. A little means a lot.  A few whispered words – “I love you,” or “I forgive you” – can heal deep and festering wounds. Words that are barely a breath bring sanity and salvation. Stopping by church for a quick “hello” to Jesus has infinite value in God’s eyes. The intimacy married couples experience in consummating their love – I’ve read about this in books – doesn’t last very long, but can bring a baby into this world who will live forever. A moment’s loving embrace causes a miraculous life that’s everlasting.

          Hasn’t Pope Francis been teaching us God’s style of saving us by pointing us to the poor and the forgotten? He said, “I want a church that is poor and for the poor” (Evangelii gaudium, 198). I don’t know if Pope Francis would stop to pick up a poor penny on the sidewalk, but I have no doubt he would stop to pick up a poor person on the sidewalk.

          You’ve heard the little poem: “Find a penny, pick it up, and all the day, you’ll have good luck.” Well, I don’t believe in good luck, but I do believe in God’s love. And that poor penny is a perfect prophet of God’s style of saving us. Maybe that’s why it’s written on the penny: “In God we trust.”  Every time you pick up a penny, you’d have a “penny prophet.”

          Praised be Jesus Christ!