Daily Readings - Sun Nov 10 2024
1 Kings
10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.12And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.14For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.15And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.16And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
Hebrews
24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:25Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Mark
41And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.42And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.43And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:44For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, trust, and generosity. The first reading from 1 Kings tells the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, who, despite her poverty, trusts Elijah’s words and shares her last resources. This act of faith is met with God’s abundant provision, as her flour and oil miraculously sustain her. The second reading from Hebrews shifts our gaze to the ultimate act of trust and sacrifice—Jesus’ self-offering, which once and for all reconciles humanity with God. The Gospel from Mark presents another widow, this time in the Temple, who gives her last two coins, teaching us that true giving is not about quantity but about surrendering all we have.
These readings are woven together by the theme of trust in God’s providence, even in times of scarcity. Elijah’s story occurs during a famine, a time of great need, yet the widow’s faith leads to abundance. Similarly, the widow in the Gospel, in her poverty, gives everything, embodying the spirit of complete trust. Hebrews reminds us that Jesus’ sacrifice is the ultimate expression of this trust, offering himself once for all to destroy sin and bring salvation.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to trust in God’s plan, even when our resources seem limited. They call us to live with generosity, recognizing that true wealth lies not in what we possess but in our willingness to surrender all to God. Let us embrace this spirit of trust and generosity, allowing our lives to be a testament to God’s faithfulness, just as the widows in today’s readings. May we, like them, find joy and peace in giving ourselves fully to God.