32nd Sunday - Fr. Leo
It is significant that a widow appears in both our first reading from 1st Kings and in our passage from Mark’s Gospel. The widow is not named in either passage, so her example can speak to all who hear these scriptures.
In our first reading, Elijah asks for an incredible sacrifice. He asks the widow to risk her and her child’s life by giving their last food to him. Her faith makes her willing to do so, and the reward is a year’s worth of food. So faith can bring us abundant blessings.
In the gospel, the widow sets the example again. She give all she has to God in contrast to the wealthy, who give only of their surplus. Despite the small size of the widow’s gift, it is larger in sacrifice than any of the others.
This points to the deeper meaning of our scriptures today. The poor widow’s risk everything. Their sacrifices could not be greater. Their risk to love only deepens their faith. The challenge for us who have more than these widows, is to ask ourselves if we are willing to give our entire selves to the Lord?
There is no one here today that will not be challenged by the example of these good women of faith in these stories. We will always be challenged by them because we probably haven’t yet given everything to the Lord. Not just our treasure, but first and foremost, our hearts!
Fr. Bob, a dear friend of mine who passed away, he pointed out that we should not be so impressed by a Mother Theresa, because she should be seen as not out of the ordinary. We should all be giving our whole selves, mind, body and soul to the Lord.
Called to be saints, let us pray: “Come, Holy Spirit, inspires us by Christ’s love that we may become the saints we are called to be! Teach us to love with a love that exceeds the boundaries of this world so thy kingdom may come today and dispel the darkness that still lingers in us all.”