Daily Readings - Sun Nov 11 2018

¹⁰He rose up and went away to Zarephath. And when he had arrived at the gate of the city, he saw the widowed woman collecting wood, and he called to her. And he said to her, "Give me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.¹¹And as she was going to bring it, he called out after her, saying, "Bring me also, I beg you, a morsel of bread in your hand.¹²And she responded: "As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, except a handful of flour in a jar, and a little oil in a bottle. See, I am collecting a couple of sticks, so that I may go in and make it for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.¹³And Elijah said to her: "Do not be afraid. But go and do as you have said. Yet truly, first make for me, from the same flour, a little bread baked under ashes, and bring it to me. Then afterward, make some for yourself and for your son¹⁴For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not fail, nor the bottle of oil be diminished, until the day when the Lord will grant rain upon the face of the earth.’ ¹⁵She went and acted in accord with the word of Elijah. And he ate, and she and her household ate. And from that day¹⁶the jar of flour did not fail, and the bottle of oil was not diminished, in accord with the word of the Lord, which he had spoken by the hand of Elijah

Hebrews

Chapter 9

²⁴For Jesus did not enter by means of holy things made with hands, mere examples of the true things, but he entered into Heaven itself, so that he may appear now before the face of God for us²⁵And he did not enter so as to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies each year, with the blood of another²⁶Otherwise, he would need to have suffered repeatedly since the beginning of the world. But now, one time, at the consummation of the ages, he has appeared in order to destroy sin though his own sacrifice²⁷And in the same manner as it has been appointed for men to die one time, and after this, to be judged²⁸so also Christ was offered, one time, in order to empty the sins of so many. He shall appear a second time without sin, for those who await him, unto salvation

Mark

Chapter 12

³⁸And he said to them in his doctrine: "Beware of the scribes, who prefer to walk in long robes and to be greeted in the marketplace³⁹and to sit in the first chairs in the synagogues, and to have the first seats at feasts⁴⁰who devour the houses of widows under the pretense of long prayers. These shall receive the more extensive judgment.⁴¹And Jesus, sitting opposite the offertory box, considered the way in which the crowd cast coins into the offertory, and that many of the wealthy cast in a great deal⁴²But when one poor widow had arrived, she put in two small coins, which is a quarter⁴³And calling together his disciples, he said to them: "Amen I say to you, that this poor widow has put in more than all those who contributed to the offertory⁴⁴For they all gave from their abundance, yet truly, she gave from her scarcity, even all that she had, her entire living.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful lessons on trust, faith, and the true measure of generosity. The first reading from 1 Kings presents Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, a story of profound trust in God's providence. Despite her poverty, the widow, with only a handful of flour and a little oil, trusts Elijah's words and shares what little she has. Her faith is rewarded as God provides abundantly, ensuring her flour and oil never run out. This story reminds us that trust in God, even in times of scarcity, can lead to unexpected abundance. The second reading from Hebrews shifts our focus to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who offered himself once for all sins. This passage emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, highlighting that His offering was not repetitive but once for all. It underscores the depth of God's love and the completeness of Christ's work on our behalf. This theological truth invites us to reflect on the trust we place in Christ's sacrifice and how it shapes our understanding of God's plan. In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus' critique of the scribes and His praise for the poor widow who gave her last coins. Jesus condemns the hypocrisy of those who exploit the vulnerable while appearing righteous. In contrast, the widow's humble and selfless offering, despite her poverty, is commended as a true expression of faith. This passage challenges us to examine our own giving and living, reminding us that true generosity comes from the heart, not from abundance. These readings weave together themes of trust, faith, and selfless giving. Elijah and the widow of Zarephath teach us to trust God even in hardship, while Christ's sacrifice shows us the ultimate trust in God's plan. The widow in Mark exemplifies giving from the heart, regardless of circumstances. As we reflect on these readings, let us cultivate a deeper trust in God's providence, embrace the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, and live with hearts open to generous and selfless giving. May our faith be strengthened as we learn to trust and give in ways that honor God.