Praise be Jesus Christ, forever and ever.
It is said that a preacher will often preach to themselves. It is true today.
This past week there was a graveside service, a baptism, preparation for All Souls mass on Tuesday, reports on mass attendance for the Diocese, perpetual adoration on Thursday, and the First Friday mass with adoration on Friday. Today is altar server training, PSR, mass, and this afternoon at 3 is blessing of the graves. I had to prepare two homilies and find time for my spiritual direction studies.
People will ask how do you have time for all the things you have to do? The truth is I don’t.
I missed a Holy Day of Obligation, the Feast of All Saints, because I took care of my mother and had work obligations. Because of other things, I missed my holy hour a couple of days this week. Sometimes, I think I rush my prayers.
In these, I see my failures at being holy and giving myself totally to God.
It is because of my riches. My riches are a beautiful and loving family. I have a job. I have a home. I have two wonderful church families - St. Lawrence and Our Lady of Fatima. Sometimes the obligations I have to these keep me from giving all to God.
I see myself in the scripture readings today, in so many ways, as one of the poor widows or the scribe or those that give from their abundance.
The most obvious point of the readings is the two stories about people who have nothing. Two widows that have no money, little to their name; but, they have faith.
In the first reading, the prophet Elijah meets a poor woman and asks her for a cup of water; and, as she was going to retrieve it he adds, could you also make me a small piece of bread.
When the woman protest, Elijah tells her she will not run out of flour and oil until the famine is over.
Most people would considered Elijah’s request crazy, cruel, or both. This poor woman had only a little flour and oil, enough for one last meal for her son and her self. But this widow, because she had nothing was free from worldly riches. She can easily trust this prophet of God and gives from all that she has. Her only gamble is trusting God, and God does not fail. God recognizes her gift.
The Gospel shares a similar story. There is an extremely poor widow. She has almost nothing. Because of her poverty, she is free enough to give from all that she has. Her only gamble is trusting in God and God does not fail. Jesus recognized her gift.
These widows’ actions came from their faith and love and trust of God. They gave as they felt they must, sacrificing some or all that they needed.
But, look also at the other persons Jesus identifies in the gospel. Jesus contrasted the poor widow to the scribe and others who flaunted themselves and paraded around in their importance.
Their worldly importance had become their keeper. They were not free to have a trusting faith in God’s mercy and salvation. The trust and faith they have was not in God but other things. The were not free to give from all they had because their faith and trust was in their appearance, position, and their wealth.
In these readings, the widows, the scribes, and the affluent people are not given names. We can put ourselves in their place. I can see myself in each one of them.
As I shared my week earlier, I can easily see myself as the scribe that Jesus speaks about. Worried about my ties to this world, my job, what people think of me, and making other people happy by what I do.
At the same time, I can see myself as one of the widows. Trusting God and giving to God from the gifts he has given me. Always afraid that what little time I have will run out and I will not be able to do what I need to do.
I can put my own name on the people of these two stories. Can you see yourself or others in those people?
In this world, prudence requires us to take the proper actions and precautions to care for our family and loved ones. That is riches God has given me. Like the widow, what little I have I should give it to God with a trusting faith. What I give from all I have is the hand full of flour and little bit of oil. God always give me more to share.
These are the things that makes us holy. It is not the activities but the total trust and faith we have in God. It is a trusting faith that comes from freedom. Giving all from what little we have. Ultimately it is God who cares and looks over us.
That is the truth the widows shared in their simple ways. Each had a trusting faith in God.
It is by the trusting faith we have in God that we are saved.
Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another.
Praise be Jesus Christ fore ever and ever. Amen.
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