Walking with Jesus: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

For Sunday, November 10, 2024

1 Kings 17:10-16, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44

We are called to be people of love so that others can see Christ’s love in each of us. We find so many wonderful examples in our lives, and today’s first reading and Gospel give us models of unselfish giving through faith and trust in God. These are valuable lessons for all of us.

What is unselfish giving? People usually give out of their abundance, but there are still several reasons for their generosity. One could be their awareness of those who are needy and want and need help. Others could give out of guilt feelings: They have some sort of debt they owe. Some give for tax purposes, knowing they will be better off financially if they give from their abundance. Others give freely to those they love without paying attention to whether they have adequate resources or not. Today’s wonderful examples are from a different kind of giving: one that comes from those who have the least material possessions to give. They are heroic givers. They have gratitude in God and realize God will continue to care for them, while at the same time realizing that others have a larger need. Jesus is the supreme example of heroic generosity — He gave all of Himself and all He had to give. Why? To show His love and God’s love for each of us, all the time, without cost … because God loves each of us every moment.

Elijah’s miracle is set during a time of drought in Zarephath, which is in Phoenicia — modern-day Lebanon, where Baal was worshipped as the god of rain. The woman is not named, but Elijah’s name means “my God is the Lord.” That is a wonderful reflection on its own. It's also a reflection on God’s power in a land considered the domain of another god. The woman has nothing and nowhere to go. Without a husband, her only source of income is begging on the streets. In her dialogue with the prophet she says “your god,” meaning she doesn’t share the prophet’s religious beliefs. The prophet says his god, the God of Israel, will provide for her. God, who controls the rain, has withheld the rain. God’s miraculous intervention in providing flour and oil can and will grant life even in the face of death. The lesson is that she and others should seek nourishment from God who, unlike Baal, can truly provide it. Where do I turn in my deep trials?

Paul alludes to ancient temples in people’s past religious history. These temples were constructed customarily on sites that were already considered sacred — places that “claimed” to have had some sort of manifestation of the divine. To the people they connected three levels of reality: heaven, earth and the underworld. When they entered the temple, the people believed that they were somehow entering the realm of heaven. Here Paul contrasts the place where the high priests performed their actions in the earthly temple to the REAL temple sanctuary of Jesus, who offered Himself once for all. His sacrifice was unrepeatable; there is no need for Jesus to repeat it. Christians believe that the sacrifice of Christ bridged the gap between the time of human life on earth and our final life forever in heaven with God Himself — and what Jesus came and promised us is ours.

The Gospel is not condemning all scribes — Mark is only singling out those whose piety is showy and lacking concern for this faith-filled widow. While at prayer in the synagogues at the time, men would wear long outer garments called tallith which Jewish men still wear at prayer today. These men of Mark's day hope people will consider them prayerful and admire them. They also enjoy being singled out and honored. This certainly exists in all worship areas today. God, what am I showing to the people who come to worship? The God of love, of service to all, especially those in need? Or a god of me, making an impression of how great I am? This is not the priest’s calling. We are to be servants of love, care, compassion — leaders of love, servants to all. We need prayers constantly.

The scribes exemplify what discipleship should not be for Mark — they do not have “a last shall be first” mentality. [Mark 9:35] Quite the contrary, they seek — literally — the “first seat … seats of honor.”

Jesus is our example of total giving. Mark wants disciples of Jesus to give themselves fully to the gospel of love, care, compassion, giving — a reflection we need daily in our prayer life. God’s grace supplies all.

So I reflect on:

• I look at where I see true piety or false sympathy: Are the needy being helped or harmed?
• The world is full of Elijah-type people. I look at them, remembering their service to some other person in a desperate situation. What did I learn — have I done the same?

Sacred Space 2024 states:

“The scribes were very concerned with externals, with their position and their importance. They were the ones to devour the houses of widows. Help us to see beyond our own importance to what is of true value.

“A poor widow was in marked contrast to the scribes. She was a model of generosity in giving everything she had, not just what she had over and above. Lord, the widow models You in giving all; may she inspire us to be generous in life.”