Michael Fallon's Books
Books in print
Introductory commentaries on the Newer Testament
• Published by Chevalier Press, 1 Roma Avenue, Kensington 2033, Australia [02-9662-7894]. Obtainable from Chevalier Press or from Catholic Bookshops.
1. The Gospel according to Saint Matthew, 1997, 2005
(395 pages, RRP $25.00)
2. The Gospel according to Saint Mark, 1997, 2009 (293 pages, RRP $25.00)
3. The Gospel according to Saint Luke, 1997, 2007 (375 pages, RRP $25.00)
4. The Gospel according to Saint John, 1998, 2005 (386 pages, RRP $25.00)
5. The Acts of the Apostles, 2003 (264 pages, RRP $25.00)
6. New Testament Letters Volume 1: Paul, 2004 (769 pages, RRP $50.00)
7. New Testament Letters Volume 2: James, Peter, Hebrews. Jude and John, 2004 (291 pages, RRP $25.00)
8. The Apocalypse: a call to embrace the love that is stronger than death, 2002 (131 pages, RRP $14.00)
These eight commentaries are all formatted in the same way. The text of the New Testament book is placed in a column along the outside edge of the page (in Palatino Bold), and the commentary in a wider column along the inside edge (in Times Romans). The following is as close as I can manage to give you an idea of the page set-out. It is taken from the commentary on Mark 12:41-44, page 222.
41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.
42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.
43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.
44 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.’
compare Luke 24:1-4
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The nature of true discipleship
This scene is capable of two quite conflicting interpretations. If we look at it as a straightforward narrative, then, especially in the light of the immediate context, we would see it as an extension and illustration of the criticism Jesus has just levelled at the scribes who ‘devour widow’s houses’(12:40). Here is an example of a poor widow giving her last resources to support the building of a place of worship which Jesus has already symbolically rejected (11:16), and which will soon be ‘thrown down’(13:2).
The scene, however, can be taken another way. Mark, in an earlier section, made much of the narrative of the loaves (6:32-44 and 8:1-10). The lesson is that we should not measure our gifts by their appearance, but that we all have within our hands the means to carry out God’s will, provided that we consecrate our gifts to God and continually look to God as their source. Having shown the emptiness of the religion of the scribes, could it be that Jesus is presenting this poor widow as a contrasting example of someone who gives all she has, little though it be, to the temple treasury – a symbol for the ‘house of prayer for all the nations’(11:17): the community of faith which Jesus himself was calling together?
This is Mark’s final portrait before the ‘eschatological discourse’(Mark 13) and the narrative of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. We would expect Mark to supply us with something powerfully symbolic to sum up the essence of Jesus’ ministry. It seems to me that is what he has given us here.
If the poor widow can contribute to the building of the kingdom of God, everyone can, provided that we do what she did. We are not asked to give more than we have. We are not asked to give what we used to have, or what we should have, or what we would like to have, or what others expect us to have. Whatever our situation at the moment, all that God asks of us now is that we offer ourselves to God as we now are — all that we are and all that we have — so that through us God’s will can be done. |
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Also from Chevalier Press:
Introductory Commentaries on the Older Testament
1. The Psalms: An Introductory Commentary (2005, 542 pages. RRP $40.00)
2. Genesis: an Introductory Commentary (2008, 246 pages RRP $25.00)
3. A Priestly Kingdom and a Holy Nation: An Introductory Commentary on Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers (2008, 441 pages RRP $30.00)
4. Deuteronomy, Joshua and Judges: An Introductory Commentary (2008, 355 pages RRP $30.00)
5. Isaiah: an Introductory Commentary (2009, 271 pages RRP $25.00)
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From St Pauls Publications, 35 Meredith Street, PO Box 906, Strathfield NSW 2135, Australia [ 02 9394 3400] [http://www.stpauls.com.au]
1. ‘A Priest after my own Heart: Exploring Priestly Spirituality’, 2001 (172 pages). This is Out of Print, but may now be accessed from my website Link Priesthood.
2. 'Yielding to Love: Learning to follow our yearning for deeper communion with God' 2005 (206 pages RRP $24.95) |
