u escape the
punishment which God is bringing upon you?"

He left the Pharisees and went into the Temple, where people were
making their gifts to God. Many rich men came in, and put large sums
of money in the money box. Then came a poor widow who put two small
coins into the box.

Jesus called his disciples to him, and said:

"I tell you, this poor widow has given more than all these rich people
are giving. For the rich have plenty of money, and it doesn't cost
them anything to give what they do. But this poor woman needs her
money, and she has given all she has."

With many words and stories he taught the people who thronged around
him on the days of that week. And this was the last story he ever
told:

"Someday I shall sit upon my throne, and judge all the nations of the
earth. To some people I will say:

"'Come--my Heavenly Father loves you. Take the reward he has planned
for you to have. For I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was
thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you
took me into your homes. I had nothing to wear, and you gave me
clothes. I was sick, and in prison, and you came to visit me!'

"Then these people will be surprised, and say, 'Lord when did we ever
do anything for you?'

"And I will say: 'You were kind to the poor and the sick and the
hungry, who did not count for anything on earth. You did not know it
at the time, but when you did a kindness to them, it was to me you
really did it.'

"Then I will say to others: 'Go away. God wants nothing to do with
you! For I was hungry, and thirsty, and naked, and sick, and in
prison, and you did nothing at all for me.'

"These people will also be surprised. They will say: 'Lord, when did
we ever see you hungry, or thirsty, or naked, or sick, or in prison?
If we had seen you needing anything, we would have helped you!'

"And I will say: 'Many poor people needed your help, and you did not
help them. When you failed them, you failed me. And now it is too
late!'"

* * * * *

The priests and the rulers did not know what to do about Jesus. _The
Messiah, indeed!_ they thought. They hated him, and they were afraid
of him. They were afraid of the Romans too. What would the Roman
governor say if he heard that there was someone in Jerusalem
pretending to be King of the Jews?

The priests and the rulers wanted to kill Jesus. That was all they
talked about. But they did not know how it was to