Gazophylacium
Gazophylacium: word of Greco-Persian origin literally meaning a container of riches. It is the name given to the chest or box where the Hebrews deposited their offering for the Temple.[1] These were poured in, through thirteen mouths of animals carved on a wall, into the Gazophylacium kept in a room. This term is used in the Vulgate "Recipiens autem, vidit eos qui mittebant munera sua in Gazophylacium, divites" (Looking up, he saw the rich putting their offerings into the Treasury).
The Widow's Mite
The Gospel Account
At that time, Jesus sat down in the Temple opposite the treasury room and watched how the crowd put money in. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came forward and put in two small coins. Jesus called his Disciples and said to them: "Amen, I tell you: this poor widow has put more into the Treasury than all the others. For all of them gave out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had, all she had to live on."[2]
The Account of Maria Valtorta
The account of Maria Valtorta is longer and more detailed. It dwells on the observation of all the people who frequent the Temple and on the attitude of Jesus which ends with the teaching he gives: I tell you that above the Temple, there is love."Jesus moves away from the place where He was and which is now flooded with sunshine, to go farther on, where the mouths of the Treasury are, near the hall of the Treasury. This side, still in the shade, is occupied by rabbis, who are haranguing with wide gestures addressing their Hebrew audience [...]The place is getting full of people coming and going in all directions. There are priests and believers, men, women and children. Some are walking, some are standing listening to the doctors, some are dragging little lambs or carrying doves going to other places, perhaps to sacrifice them.
[...] He [Jesus] does not seem to be hearing anything. But He must be listening to everything because, when from a group several metres away, gathered around a doctor, a nasal voice is heard proclaiming: «More than any other commandment this one is valid: what is for the Temple must go to the Temple. The Temple is above one’s father and mother and if one wants to give what is superfluous to the glory of the Lord, one can do so and will be blessed for it, because there is no blood or love superior to the Temple», Jesus slowly turns His head round in that direction and looks in a way… that I would not like it to be meant for me.
[...] Jesus stops looking at him to watch a poor woman, dressed in dark brown, who is bashfully climbing the steps and goes towards a wall, where there is something like heads of lions or similar animals with open mouths. Many people are going there. But Jesus does not seem to pay attention to them. Now instead He looks where the woman is going. His eyes look at her compassionately and they shine with kindness when He sees her stretch out a hand and throw something into the stone mouth of one of those lions. And when the woman withdraws passing near Him, He is the first to say: «Peace to you, woman.»
She raises her head, utterly astonished, and remains dumbfounded. «Peace to you» repeats Jesus. «Go, because the Most High blesses you.» The poor soul is enraptured, then she whispers a greeting and goes away.
«She is happy in her unhappiness» says Jesus breaking His silence. «She is now happy because God’s blessing is with her.»
«Listen, My friends, and those who are around Me. Do you see that woman? She only gave two small coins, not enough to buy food for one meal for a sparrow kept in a cage, and yet she has given more than all those who have given their offerings to the Treasury of the Temple, since it was opened this morning at dawn.
[...] But I solemnly tell you that nobody has given more than she did. Her offering is charity. The others are not. Hers is generosity. The others are not. Hers is sacrifice. The others are not. Today that woman will not eat anything, because she has nothing left. She will have to work first to earn some money, to be able to get some bread to appease her hunger. She has no money laid aside, neither has she relatives who can earn money on her behalf. She is all alone. God has taken her relatives, her husband and children, He has taken the little wealth they had left her, and rather than God, men have taken it, those men who with large gestures, see?, are continuing to throw in there their surplus, much of which is extorted through usury from the poor hands of poor and hungry people.
They say that there is no blood or love superior to the Temple, and they thus teach people not to love their neighbour. I tell you that above the Temple there is love."[3]