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“Prophet Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta”
by Bernardo Strozzi, 1630s |
Readings for Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
Readings and Commentary: [4]
Reading 1: 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.
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Commentary on 1 Kgs 17:10-16
The story of Elijah and the miracle of the widow and her son establishes Elijah as a man from God, a prophet. (The importance of this confirmation cannot be underestimated; see also 1 Kings 17:24) As we see much later in the miracle of the Transfiguration of Jesus (see Matthew 17:1–9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28–36 and the reference in 2 Peter 1:16–18), he becomes the symbol of all of the great Hebrew prophets. He is able to demonstrate God’s plan “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.’” God again provides for Elijah in his need.
CCC: 1 Kgs 17:7-24 2583
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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.
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Commentary on Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
In this hymn of praise, we find the historical view of God’s attributes as envisioned by the Hebrew people. The psalmist catalogs the mercy of God’s salvation (gives sight to the blind, raises those who were bowed down [the oppressed]) using imagery borrowed by the prophets and imagery used much later by Gospel authors as well.
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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.
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Commentary on Heb 9:24-28
This passage from Hebrews contrasts the earthly temple in Jerusalem with the heavenly throne mounted by the Lord. We also see the contrast between the traditions of the Hebrew priests, constantly offering sacrifices of atonement in an earthly sanctuary of the temple, and the sacrifice of our High Priest, Jesus Christ, who offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice, once and for all so that sins might be forgiven.
"The cleansing of 'the heavenly things themselves' is further specified by reference to the ascension of Christ and his appearance in the presence of God in the transcendent realm of 'heaven itself.' In focusing upon the definitive stage of Christ’s access to God, the writer clarifies the conceptual scheme of heavenly priesthood and sacrifice, which had been approached in a cursory way in 8:3–5. The recapitulation of the theme of the heavenly sanctuary draws upon the Day of Atonement ritual, when it was the task of the high priest to appear before God. The keystone in the structure of the writer’s thinking about the heavenly sanctuary and liturgy is the concept of the Most Holy Place […]. The contrasts developed in vv 24–26 clarify the basis of the superior sacrifice by which the heavenly sanctuary was purged." [5]
CCC: Heb 9:24 519, 662, 2741; Heb 9:25 662; Heb 9:26 571; Heb 9:27 1013, 1021
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Gospel:
A Longer Form
Mark 12:38-44
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."
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Commentary on Mk 12:38-44
In this passage from Mark, Jesus warns against scribes (holy men) who wear their faith on the outside and accept homage for their religious acts. Their acts of charity are missing. In contrast to those who flaunt their faith and their wealth the Lord praises the poor widow who gives alms from her need, not from her excess as the wealthy did. “The widow is another example of the poor ones in this gospel whose detachment from material possessions and dependence on God leads to their blessedness (Luke 6:20). Her simple offering provides a striking contrast to the pride and pretentiousness of the scribes denounced in the preceding section.” [6]
CCC: Mk 12:38-40 678; Mk 12:41-44 2444
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OR B
Shorter Form
Mark 12:41-44
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."
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Commentary on Mk 12:41-44
This shorter form of the Gospel omits the warning to the crowds and his disciples that they should avoid the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who propose to lead the people in faith but who lack the humility that comes from profound awe and respect of God the Father. It focuses instead on the gift of the widow from her need; an example of stewardship, even in time of hardship as well as devotion above that of the pompous religious.
CCC: Mk 12:41-44 2444
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Reflection:
Who among you remembers Theresa Elbonowski? I suspect not many. She died several years ago. What makes her story one worth talking about is not that she really epitomized the story in St. Mark’s Gospel about the widow who gave from her need, but rather, as Paul Harvey used to say, “Here’s the rest of the story.”
Theresa was a lifelong parishioner. When I got to know her, she lived alone. I don’t recall if she was widowed or never married; honestly that does not matter. She came to Mass daily and was generous to a fault, always seeing if she could help with functions, always around when an extra set of hands were needed. While she was never out in front leading the charge, she was almost always in the vanguard when the community of St. Thomas needed help. These long years after her passing, I remember her with a sense of embarrassment (it used to be guilt, but I have gotten past that). For the rest of us she becomes more of a symbol of all those whom we have forgotten. Some have said they “disappear.”
The most startling fact about Theresa was her fiscal generosity and I would not have known about that except I was tapped to be involved in a capitol campaign as part of a team that was to go out to what were called “pace setters”: those people who had given most generously in the past. As we went down the list of the usual names, those who were prominent leaders in the parish we came to the name “Theresa Elbonowski” and I was shocked. You see Theresa lived in one of the older neighborhoods not too far from the church in a rather small house that had seen better years. Remarkably, the level of her contributions put her at the same level with business and professional leaders. Yet, we often gave her rides home from Mass because she didn’t own a car!
Despite my earlier denial, you may be thinking I use this story because Theresa really was a parody of the story of the widow in the Gospel, but you would be wrong. Theresa’s story has an even more profound impact on me and, by sharing it, I hope on all of us. Because Theresa was never one to impose herself on us, and because she did not presume her contributions merited her any special favors from the church, no one noticed when she stopped coming to Mass. We didn’t miss her, and she became what I call “one of the lost.” A person who gave to us in prayer, works of kindness, and charity her entire life and who never said to us “It is now my turn to need you.”
Theresa was discovered dead in her home, I believe by a neighbor, several days after she died. We lost her. And we were not there for her in her loneliness as she left this life for the next. Because of her great life in the spirit, we can be assured that the angels gathered her poor soul to themselves, and she now rests in the heavenly home enjoying the reward promised by Christ and sealed by his blood. But what Theresa’s story should mean to us is that there are others. Those involved in ministry to nursing homes and the home-bound see them from time to time. Occasionally someone at a parish function will say, “Have you seen so-in-so lately?” and someone may become curious and check.
This message should be especially important to all of us as we come back to some normality following the long isolation of the pandemic. We should be seriously looking for those who, prior to the restrictions on public gatherings, were with us in the next pew or at coffee and donuts. If we don’t see them, ask for them with the parish staff. We need to make sure that the awful scars of the fear of coming together are not preventing them from gathering with us. In the very least, we should reach out to them to make sure that this community, the Body of Christ on earth, loves and cares for them.
The ironic message from the first part of the Gospel is that those who blow horns and call attention to themselves as the scribes and Pharisees did would be instantly missed if they did not show up. It is the widows who give from their need or the single person quietly devout, those who are the great treasure of the Church, that frequently become lost to us. They exist in every parish in the world, and we need them.
We cannot wait for a parish program to systematically go out to find these members of our family of faith. Each of us is called to be a part of that process. So, we call out to you. If you know of someone who can no longer make it to Mass because of illness or age and you don’t think anyone is visiting them, bringing them the sacraments, praying with them and for them, and if you cannot take a little time to reach out to them yourself, let us know.
And if you are one of those who could or have become one of the lost, with no close friends or relatives in the parish, please, please, do not hesitate to let us know about your situation. Give us the chance to be God’s hands and feet, bringing back to you what you may have lost.
The great commandment called us to love God and love our neighbor. We cannot fail in any part of what the Lord calls us to do and to be. Today we pray for all those who we have lost, and we also pray that we find them.
Pax
In other years on November 10th: Optional Memorial for Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
[1] Catechism links are taken from the
Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Prophet Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta” by Bernardo Strozzi, 1630s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] William L. Lane, Hebrews 9–13, vol. 47B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1991), 248.
[6] NAB footnote on Luke 21:1ff.
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