Daily Readings - Sun Nov 07 2021
1 Kings
10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink."11And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."12And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die."13And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.14For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"15And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.16The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.
Hebrews
24For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.25Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,26for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.27And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,28so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Mark
41And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.43And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.44For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two widows whose acts of faith and generosity illuminate the path of trust and selflessness. The first widow, from the Book of Kings, finds herself on the brink of despair with her son, facing starvation. Yet, when Elijah asks her to prepare a meal for him first, she trusts in God's promise. Her obedience leads to a miracle, as her flour and oil never run out, sustaining her through the famine. This story underscores the reward of unwavering faith and trust in divine providence.
The second reading from Hebrews shifts our focus to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Unlike the annual sacrifices of the high priest, Jesus's sacrifice was once and for all, eradicating sin and opening the way to salvation. This emphasizes the completeness and uniqueness of Christ's offering, highlighting His role as the eternal high priest who intercedes for us in heaven.
In the Gospel, Jesus observes the offerings at the temple and commends a poor widow who gives her last two coins. While others give from their abundance, her offering, though small in amount, is immense in sacrifice. Jesus teaches us that true generosity is not measured by quantity but by the depth of one's commitment and trust in God.
These readings weave together themes of faith, trust, and selfless giving. The widows, though in different contexts, both demonstrate a profound trust in God's providence. Their stories challenge us to reflect on our own relationship with God, encouraging us to give generously, not just from our surplus, but from our very selves. In a world often driven by self-interest, these widows remind us that true faith leads to selfless giving and unwavering trust in God's plan. Let us strive to emulate their example, trusting in God's provision and giving with hearts full of faith and love.