Material Offerings for the Unattached?

The tides may be turning for our little village. Our efforts to rebuild were successful. Our homes have a new vitality, and the bridge is open for trade and travel. More importantly, it allowed the doctors and ritualists to go help those suffering from the Naga illness in the neighboring village. Knowing this makes me content. On top of all this we have that a very famous lama is travelling in the region. Currently he is residing in a monastery nearby. The scholars of the village are planning to write a letter to invite him to visit us. Such an event would surely lift our spirits and help those like myself, who are looking to better understand a tradition that we have been raised in. Again, thankful that we could come together and rebuild the bridge, otherwise, such a visit would not even be in the realm of possibility as it is now. Of course, my old mind leaves me with doubts, questions and worries, as is its habit.

For one, if the lama does end up visiting our village…what can I contribute? I used all my gold and resources to help the efforts to rebuild. What I have now is very little, but I suppose I can give it up. In fact, I did commit to re-examine my life and the right path. I should not be attached to these things. I will give what I can. However, this leads me to yet another question. If I, a layman in the Buddhist tradition at best, should work to be unattached to such worldly objects, then I wonder what use a lama who must not be attached to such things anymore (or else how would he even be a lama?) could have for the offerings traditionally given to him on arrival in a village. The alms they receive have always seemed a bit lavish to me. I know that my mind is bereft of the deep wisdom of the mind of a lama, which, give his actions a depth of purpose I am perhaps not equipped to understand. Still, with all the misfortune that has recently struck our village, would not our small amount of food and resources be better suited to help alleviate the suffering of those villagers here that are in need? I suppose though that by giving alms and offerings to the lama-should he choose to visit-the village folk could be united around a project and feel a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. This is of course a good thing. Maybe by putting in such work and resources karma will reward us through the lama. Of these things I am still not sure, but I feel it is proper to speak the truth about my doubts. To do otherwise would be deceptive.

These things we are meant to do to prepare for a lama include providing fruit, food, flowers, water and soft cushions for the teacher. Of course, we all get to eat as well but it seems odd that the ceremony takes on such a material aspect. Perhaps that is just the way we can understand and interact with spirituality though, the material world is all that is readily apparent to us, even if it is not real. What I really cannot wrap my head around is the offering of money. What will he use it for? What does someone who is supposed to have renounced the worldly need with money? He already receives food to sustain himself from laypeople seeking his wisdom and teachings. Are these doubts that plague my mind wrong thought? Is it even my place to question the wisdom of such ancient traditions? Likely, I am getting ahead of myself. We do not even know if the lama will accept our invitation. I am sure if he does, then all my questions will be answered and my doubts in some way addressed or alleviated.