1 Kings 17.10-16/ Psalm 146.1+2+10a, 6c+7, 8ac+9bc/ Hebrews 9.24-28/ Mark 12.38-44
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.’”
1 Kings 17.14
The readings for today, again, are another source of encouragement that will enable us to keep the flame of our hearts in living an authentic Christian life. We have been told and are invited to keep on thinking and doing the things of God. Let us all continue to open our hearts and offer ourselves entirely towards Christian discipleship. The disciples of Jesus are always motivated and willing to follow His ways. We always hope that each one`s willingness and eagerness will lead us to truly realize that God and the way of Jesus is the only source of our security. Only then we will find true happiness and real peace and security we all long for.
Indeed, we are not new to the invitation to appreciate the true will of the person more than shallow external beauty and appearances. I believe we are more than aware and knowledgeable of who the Scribes and Pharisees in the time of Jesus were As to what specifically we need to be concerned about is that we have in our society and community (in our midst) who are living like those Scribes and Pharisees. At the same time what we need to be concerned about is the presence of a certain Pharisee in our hearts. Some may be overly concerned about saving and procuring things in this world for themselves at the expense of others. Some may consider citizenship, status, skin color etc. as bases as to whom should they identify themselves. These and many others are clear stumbling blocks to a true Gospel witnessing and proclamation. We indeed lack generosity in its strictest sense. We do profess that we love the things of God and the ways of Jesus while at the same time are breaking what we profess.
We have specific example of generous people in our readings today. Our first reading presents us the widow who was responsive to the need of prophet Jeremiah despite her own insufficiency. In Jesus` society in his time widows and orphans were considered the poorest people. However, the widow in our gospel reading was also generous and simple in her faith. The piety of the woman in our gospel reading is clearly contrasted with the arrogance of some so-called religious leaders in her time.
We are all invited to identify ourselves to the widows in our gospel readings today. The story is the symbol of Jesus Himself who made the total offering of His life for us. May His love and mercy free us all from greediness, arrogance, and image-conscious mindset so that we can be nearer to what He wants us to be.