First Reading
1 Kings 17:10-16
In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.” She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'” She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.
Second Reading
Hebrews 9:24-28
Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
Gospel Cycle Cycle B
Mark 12:38-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”
How wonderful to be a prophet and to be able to promise that God will watch over another person! When we see the gifts of the prophets, we are amazed. To appreciate a prophet, however, we also have to look at the sufferings of the prophet. Elijah, like most of the prophets, spent his life going here and there at the neck and call of God. He was not appreciated by his own people nor by the rulers of his people. The king often tried to get rid of him. Serving God is not easy nor is it comfortable.
Today’s Gospel from Saint Mark helps us understand the ways of God. From those who have nothing, he wants everything and is very happy when He receives it. God is not willing to settle with us for only a part of our lives. God wants everything from us and will not rest or be happy until He has everything. We can ignore God. We create our own ideas of how to serve God. We can reinterpret the Word of God. We can act like people of prayer while not giving our hearts. We can give money and material things to God while not loving Him.
Always God wants all. Why? God wants all because God loves us and wants us to be with Him always, forever. The only way that can come about is if we finally give Him all. That complete giving can happen in this life. There are saints who give themselves completely to the Lord while alive on this earth. Most of us only begin the process in this life and so we have the reality of purgatory after death in order to purify us and allow to us to give ourselves completely.
The poor widow of the Gospel can become our model. She shows us how to give everything, forgetting ourselves and only thinking of the God that she loves. She trusts that God will provide for her. Jesus teaches us that we must learn how to live that way every day. He will provide for us.
Putting ourselves into the hands of the living God, the hands of Jesus Christ, is truly scary.
The Letter to the Hebrews helps us understand that Jesus is truly like us in all things except sin. He knows that it is scary to hand our lives over. He knows what it is to suffer for others. He knows even how to offer His life so that others may live. Jesus came to free us from sin and to bring us salvation. Jesus came to invite us to share the Kingdom of God. Jesus never promises that it will be easy. He does promise us that He will always be with us.
Once more we are invited to walk the way of Jesus. It is always the Way of the Cross. Jesus always invites us to die with Him so that others can live. Come, let us walk with the Lord on His way.