Thirty-second Sunday in Course 2024
Today’s Scripture readings have a laser-focus on the plight of the poor—especially widows and orphans—and the care that God wants to give them. That care, of course, is usually through the ministry of those who follow the second greatest commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus, last week, linked the first and second great commandments together. The reality is that if we do not care for our neighbor, even though God does, we are disobeying both halves of that great commandment of love. By not caring for our neighbor, we are making a very rude gesture toward our Father in heaven. And did you know God hates to be mocked?
Elijah looks to be terribly selfish in the first pericope. The poor widow in this pagan town has just enough flour and oil to make one loaf of bread for herself and her boy, and when that’s eaten, they’ll starve to death. Remember that the whole Levant, from Lebanon all the way to Egypt, has been in a three-year drought. But the land and its people would not repent of their obscene worship of idols, so the prophetic message to that land had no effect. And then the prophet arrogantly tells the poor woman to make him a little cake first, and then take care of her boy and herself. Talk about “me, me, me” won’t you, Elijah!?
But as usual, the author of the books of Kings is taking a longer view. The real story is that if Elijah’s prophetic gift would not bring the whole people back to proper worship and right living, then he would exercise it for only one pagan family: “thus says the LORD the God of Israel, `The jar of meal shall not be spent, and the cruse of oil shall not fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" This woman obeys God’s summons, and she got the promised “major award,” the fixings for meals until the rains brought the cereal crops back.
Then we see in the Gospel that Jesus, the high priest spoken of in Hebrews, passes judgement against scribes, who teach the law and then devour widows’ houses, ignoring the law in practice. Jesus reserves His highest praise for the poor widow who gave two of the smallest denomination coin, a lepta, to the Temple treasury. It’s all she had. She imitated Christ and His Mother, who gave all they had, their whole lives, for us, Jesus as redeemer, and Mary as mother and encourager. Remember that she led the little band of faithful around the cross--His rude throne—as He gave us everything.
