Monday, November 2, 2009

RENEWsletter for November 8, 2009 - 32nd Ordinary

Hello, folks--
How many of you tithe? I don't. I try, but it's hard enough to make ends meet. Still.... the readings this week concern a few folks that had more trouble than you or I ever will making ends meet. And they gave much more than 10%... they gave 100%.

This Sunday is the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings are available at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/110809.shtml on the web, and in your Bible at:

1 Kings 17.10-16
Psalm 146.7, 8-9, 9-10 (with vs. 1b)
Hebrews 9.24-28
Mark 12.38-44

The First Reading is the story of Elijah and the widow. Elijah had just arrived at Zarephath and at the gate of the city, he saw a woman gathering firewood. "Would you please bring me a cup of water?" he asked her (1 Kings 17.10). The fact that she immediately went to help him says a lot about her character. She was willing to help someone in need. Yet, when Elijah also asked for something to eat (v. 11), she had to stop and explain. She was at the end of her rope. She had only enough flour and oil for one more tiny loaf of bread and when that was gone, she and her son would begin to starve to death (v. 12). Elijah insisted that she make something for him first, and then take care of herself and her son (v. 13).

She had only one last chance for one more meal, yet she gave some of that to this stranger. That was far, far beyond a tithe! But Elijah promised her that the jar and the jug would not run dry (v. 14). How could she have believed this thirsty, hungry, nameless traveler? It didn't matter. He was hungry and thirsty, and she had a little something to give, so she gave (v. 15). And the LORD gave back by taking care of them for the next year, until the drought ended (v. 16)!

Perhaps this woman knew of the song repeated in our Responsorial Psalm. "The LORD gives food to the hungry" (Ps. 146.7). She also may have recalled verse 9: "The LORD protects strangers and sustains the orphan and the widow." Here was a stranger, hungry... with the LORD protecting him... surely the LORD would take care her and her son too. "Praise the Lord, my soul!" (v. 1)

In the Second Reading we can see some parallels in Jesus and how God protected him while was a stranger on this Earth. Christ offered himself, not over and over as human priests have to do with blood that is not their own (Heb. 9.25), but once, for all, with his own blood. And God took good care of him (v. 26). He's coming back, not to suffer any more, but to bring salvation to us who are eagerly awaiting it (v. 28).

The Gospel Reading is the familiar story of the widow and her 100% donation. Jesus was making an object lesson for his disciples in the way the rich and powerful behaved in the name of religion. Don't be like these guys, says Jesus. They make their wealth at the expense of widows and the helpless, and they'll get what's coming to them (Mark 12 40). Then he sat down where he could watch as people passed the poor box upon entering the synagogue (v. 41). People of all statuses came in, from the very rich to the very poor. Many of the rich people put large sums into the box (v. 41 still), but a widow came by and put in two tiny coins. Jesus sensed that she had given all she had left (v. 44), trusting that God would take care of her.

The widows in these stories gave their all. In Elijah's case, the widow did not even know God, yet the Presence of Lord in Elijah was evident to her. She trusted Elijah. The widow in the Gospel story knew God. The Presence of the Lord was in the synagogue. She didn't even need anyone to know that the couple of coins she dropped in the poor box were all she had. But Jesus knew. Jesus understands sacrifice. He gave his life, but... he got it back! How can we help but give, even sacrificially when we know we'll be rewarded? Full measure, shaken together, packed down, and running over (see Luke 6.38)!

Have a good week, folks!

Randy Jones
"Those who cannot give all say they need to take care of themselves!"

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