Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 155
Reading I
1 Kings 17:10-16
In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
"Please bring along a bit of bread."
She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
'The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading II
Hebrews 9:24-28
Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
Alleluia
Matthew 5:3
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."
He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
OR:
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Giving Your Whole Livelihood
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Mark 12:41–42
If you were in charge of the Temple treasury, which would you prefer? The rich putting in large sums of money? Or one poor widow putting in two small coins? Of course, an honest answer to that question might be hard to give. Much good can be done with large sums of money, right? Wouldn’t it be better to accept more than a few cents? The dilemma one would experience in this situation reveals a misperception that we regularly encounter in life. Is more better than less? Is wealth better than poverty? Is success better than failure? It all depends upon the spiritual reality at hand.
Take, for example, success vs. failure. Say one person sets off on a selfish and immoral business venture that quickly produces a huge income. Many would consider that a success. Say another person prayerfully sought to fulfill the will of God and started some other business. After years of trying, that business failed and went into bankruptcy. Which situation is better? Clearly, the one who sought to fulfill the will of God is the winner. Why? Because the spiritual fruit of fidelity to the will of God, despite worldly setbacks, produced an eternal treasure more valuable than earthly wealth.
God judges the heart, not the worldly outcome. In fact, from a worldly perspective alone, Jesus’ life was a complete failure. He was arrested, charged with a capital crime, beaten and killed. His earthly kingdom—desired by many of his followers—was never established. Many of them abandoned Him when He was killed. Even after He rose from the dead, He didn’t establish an earthly kingdom.
Of course, in the spiritual realm, the realm of eternal realities, Jesus’ life was infinitely successful. His death destroyed death itself, and His Resurrection enabled all who believe in Him to share in eternal life. His spiritual Kingdom is now in full bloom and will one day be visible to all.
Back to our original question. If you were in charge of the Temple treasury, and you were given the same option that Jesus pointed to of receiving the large sums of money from the rich, or the two coins from the poor widow, it would certainly be better to accept the two coins. If that is hard to comprehend, then it is a sign that you live more according to the values of the world than the values of the spiritual Kingdom of God. The poor widow gave more than two small coins; she also gave the spiritual gift of her generosity and complete trust in God. She gave all she had and trusted that God would take care of her and use her gift for good. This is infinitely more fruitful for the building of the Kingdom of God than the gift of someone’s excess of money. God does not need our money, but we need to give it, be detached from it, and be ready and willing to give everything we have, all that we are, our entire livelihood to God. This is trust. This is a spiritual gift that will have far greater eternal ramifications for the salvation of souls than all the money in the world.
Reflect, today, upon the compliment Jesus pays to this poor widow. “She, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” Do you contribute your whole livelihood? Do you dedicate everything you have, all your energies and gifts, and all that you are to the service of God for His glory? We are called to give everything to God—not just a portion of our lives. Reflect upon how well you imitate this poor widow and seek to follow her holy example.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
GIVING ALL
“She gave from her want, all that she had to live on.” —Mark 12:44
In today’s Mass readings, the Church highlights giving our all to God. The widow of Zarephath risked death by giving her last provisions to the prophet Elijah (1 Kgs 17:15-16). The Gospel widow gave “all that she had to live on” to the Lord, as Jesus testified (Mk 12:44). Jesus Himself sacrificed “all,” as the reading from Hebrews testifies (Heb 9:26).
In giving all to God, one abandons all to God’s providence and mercy. The Zarephath widow was blessed with a year’s provisions. The Gospel widow’s fate is unknown. Regardless of the results, we entrust our entire being to the providence of God. He “gives food to the hungry” (Ps 146:7). “He sustains” the poor who trust in Him (Ps 146:9).
Jesus offered sacrifice to God. He poured out all His blood and offered Himself into the hands of His most merciful Father (Heb 9:12-14). Our greatest challenge is this: will we trust that God will be faithful? (2 Tm 2:8-13) God will not be outgiven. He says: “Try Me in this” (Mal 3:10).
Giving all to the Lord from a foundation of trust is at the very heart of our faith. We are not called to give for the purpose of getting rich ourselves. Rather, we are called to give in a spirit of complete abandonment, sacrificial love, and self-forgetfulness. We give all as Jesus did. We give joyfully because “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). What will we give Him that we think we cannot do without? We give all to the Lord in trust and faith.
Prayer: Father, help me to accept the grace to be a cheerful, generous, and trusting giver (2 Cor 9:7).
Promise: “The Lord raises up those that were bowed down; the Lord loves the just.” —Ps 146:8
Praise: Praise You, risen Jesus, my Shepherd. Glory be to You
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
Jesus appreciates the offering of the poor widow over that of all the others as he was touched by her humble attitude. It makes a big difference when someone is ready to sacrifice their comfort, time, energy and money for the sake of others. As American author John C. Maxwell aptly says, “People may hear your words, but feel your attitude”. A similar attitude we see in the First Reading. The widow in Zarephath prepares bread for Elijah from a handful of flour and a little oil, trusting in God’s promise through Elijah. God so blessed her faith and generosity that her jar of meal and oil didn’t run out for many days. The purity of intention and quality of giving satisfy the receiver and multiply the resources of the giver. We see the total self-giving of Jesus for the sake of all. As chosen people, we represent Jesus in the world, and are responsible to give the best for the cause of the common good. Mother Teresa said, “A life not lived for others is not a life”. Every act of kindness has a redeeming effect. If we can make someone happy and reduce their sorrow, it would be a great offering. None of our achievements, possessions and even good works, have any lasting value if not directed by correct motivation and purpose. Let us then reflect on the quality of our giving, our service and contributions.
Prayers
Most generous Lord, You gave all that You had and all that You are out of love for the salvation of the world. Help me to imitate Your total gift by returning all to You, entrusting my entire life, all that I am, and my entire livelihood to You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, all that I have is yours. Take my life, my possessions, my time and all that I have and use them as you desire for your glory.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 314: Mercy as a Strong Defense
When an army is under siege, it seeks a place in which it can defend itself. Seeking higher ground or a place that gives it shelter and protection is immediately sought out. So it must be in your spiritual life. When you experience the darts of the evil one, or when life becomes burdensome to you, especially on account of your sin, seek the higher ground and the greatest place of refuge. This place is the merciful Heart of our Lord. Do not doubt that His Heart is a place of refuge for you. Within His Heart you will find safety from the weary battle and you will discover that you are in a fortified fortress of Mercy. This specific aspect of Mercy, that of being a place of protection, must be understood and welcomed. We cannot endure the hardships of life on our own. We cannot fight the battles of life if we rely upon our own strength and skills. No one is talented enough to fight off the raging enemy. Seek refuge in the Mercy of God and He will protect you from all harm (See Diary #1516).
Reflect upon your need for protection. By yourself, alone in this world, you will never survive. The temptations, attacks and evil that pervade this world will ruin you. But if you have a fortress of protection, nothing will do you harm. That protection is the Mercy of God. Spend time today thinking about God and His Mercy as such a fortress. See Him as your defender in all things and run to this place of safety. The Lord will surround you with His grace and will keep you at peace within the dwelling of His Heart.
Lord, when I feel the weight, attacks and temptations of the world come upon me, give me the wisdom to seek refuge. May I run to You and hide in Your merciful Heart. May I never doubt Your perfect protection and always find shelter in You.
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