So let's talk about today's readings 11/8/09

[cheeto1]

November 8, 2009

Reading 1
1 Kgs 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.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b)** Praise the Lord, my soul!**
or:
Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or: Alleluia.

Reading II
Heb 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
Mk 12:38-44 or 12:41-44

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.”
or
Jesus 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.”

 

[cheeto1]

Today’s first reading and gospel are about women. They are each about a widow
who gave all that they had to live on to the kingdom of God.

The first widow was rewarded by a miracle. Her food did not run out until God
finally sent rain on the earth. But you know, all she had was a handful of flour.
When she looked out and saw the rain, how could she be happy? She was
back to where she started, with just one day’s food. How could she live long enough
to wait for food to grow?

The second widow gave all she had to “the treasury”. Well, if she gave all she had to
live on, what happened next? Could she eat the praise she received from Jesus?
And then the Pharisees may have wasted her money…

These 2 women are true heroes of the faith, I have never seen anyone like them, ever.

So what struck you about today’s readings? :bible1::twocents:

 

[Julian0404]

Today’s first reading and gospel are about women. They are each about a widow
who gave all that they had to live on to the kingdom of God.

The first widow was rewarded by a miracle. Her food did not run out until God
finally sent rain on the earth. But you know, all she had was a handful of flour.
When she looked out and saw the rain, how could she be happy? She was
back to where she started, with just one day’s food. How could she live long enough
to wait for food to grow?

The second widow gave all she had to “the treasury”. Well, if she gave all she had to
live on, what happened next? Could she eat the praise she received from Jesus?
And then the Pharisees may have wasted her money…

These 2 women are true heroes of the faith, I have never seen anyone like them, ever.

So what struck you about today’s readings? :bible1::twocents:

The comparison between both of these women who were poor compared to the rich man who could not sell everything, give it to the poor and come follow me, as Jesus advised him when he asked, What must I do to have eternal life?
Poverty leads to charity, absolute care giving at self expense charity, more readily than does wealth. The message is relevant in todays economy where many folks are clutching their last dollars.

 

[cheeto1]

Yes, and then there was that other poor man, Lazarus, who didn’t even have anything
to give, and he was rewarded with comfort in “the bosom of Abraham”.

 

[Mintaka]

That widow of Zarephath and her son were little mini opposites to Adam and Eve.

Eve thought that if she ate the forbidden fruit, she would die. The serpent told her that was wrong, but he was lying; and she and Adam both brought death upon the human race.

The widow thought, “when we have eaten it, we shall die.” But really, the tiny bit of flour and oil kept her, her son, and Elijah alive for a year, just as the stranger told her!

Of course, we live with the Church and Christ, and Christ’s flesh and blood keep us alive even if we die.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

The women are widowers.
The first one has a son, but one too young to provide for his mother yet – or in a season of drought, unable to farm. Elijah was known for the miracles he performed, the drought itself being one such miracle. The widow knew what kind of man this was; as her words show.

In Israel, as shown in the book of Ruth, and elsewhere, the law was that no one ought to go back after a harvest to claim every speck of the crop – but there was always some to be left for the widows, orphans, strangers. Gleanings that they may live.

In the first reading:
Notice the Great prophet of Israel going to this stranger in a strange land. She swears at the prophet, “as the Lord your God lives”. She is not an Israelite, but a foreigner. And God said in the Law, that as Israel was a stranger in a strange land (Egypt) that they should show kindness toward strangers in their own land.

Why then are either of the widows in the Old or New testament out of livelihood?
The Lord hears the Cry of the Poor, Blessed be the Lord.

Luke 4:25 Why, you may be sure of this, there were many widows among the people of Israel in the days of Elias, when a great famine came over all the land, after the heavens had remained shut for three and a half years, but Elias was not sent to any of these. He was sent to a widow woman in Sarepta, which belongs to Sidon.

An oath is seven, a broken oath – or evil – is cutting it in half. 3 and 1/2.

It was for a broken oath and an evil amount of time which the heavens gave no rain, at Elias’ command. And Jesus suggests by the dire straits of this foreign widow, that the local widows died. Israel’s widows were punished in that day.

God said he would make Israel Jealous because of her sin; He would show favor to nations which were “no nations” and people who were “no people”.

If the widow was given her rights to gleanings, then why is it that Jesus says she put her whole livelihood in the temple bowl? She had to pay the tax, but was not paid her due. Amazing, she does not rebel – nor scream out at the injustice – but sacrifices everything. Like a lamb led to slaughter, she opened not her mouth.
It is not the coins which were of value; nor even the sentiment – but the bearing of injustice.

Jesus points the injustice out to a crowd of disciples from a sitting position, that of the highest teaching; The text does not say what they did or did not do – but I am sure Jesus’ words had more effect than just empty well wishing. Here is a prophet greater than Elias paying attention to a widow – he has heard her prayer – and in the preceding verses he blames the scribes who collect the funds – and tells his disciple not to be like them. They all know what this woman needs; they are all responsible according to Moses.

The book of Hebrews shifts to the idea of the sacrifice of Jesus, the same nature as the widow’s but taken to heaven in his own person. His own livelihood, his blood, offered. The eternal completion of the sacrifice consummated on the cross; his ascent into Heaven which allows us to enter who are conformed to him in sacrifice.

The widow gave money to a mere shadow, a replica of Heaven – but she gave the full sacrifice to heaven itself invisible.

Blessed be God forever.