1ST READING
There
is no direct cause between generosity on the one hand and reward on the
other. The widow’s generosity is clearly rewarded in this case as a
lesson for us in trusting God. Ultimately, she has nothing to lose.
After all, she only has enough ingredients for one meal and so loses
very little in being generous with what she has. Her reward is way out
of proportion to her generosity – enough food to last until the drought
lifts.
1 Kings 17:10-16
10 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.” 11 She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” 12 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.” 13 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. 14 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.’ ” 15 She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; 16 The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.
P S A L M
Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
R: Praise the Lord, my soul!
7 The Lord keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives good to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. (R) 8 The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those that were bowed down; the Lord loves the just; 9 The Lord protects strangers. (R) The
fatherless and the widow he sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. 10 The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. (R)
2ND READING
Today’s
reading reminds us that Christians do not believe in reincarnation.
Each of us has one life to live and then there is judgment. It is good
for us to remember this so that we will be inspired to follow God’s will
for our lives. It is only in obedience to God that we will discover the
fullness of His blessing both for this life and the next one in heaven.
Hebrews 9:24-28
24 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. 25 Not
that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each
year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; 26 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. 27 Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, 28 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.
GOSPEL
Sometimes,
we are awed by the huge donations of very rich people and think this
makes them very generous. Generous they may be but not nearly so much as
this poor woman who gives of what she needs to live on and not just
what she has left over after a life of excess. It is quite easy to see
who is the most generous when put in these terms.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 12:38-44
38 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, 39 seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” 41
He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 43 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. 44 For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has
contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”
1st READING 2nd READING
GOSPEL PSALM
TODAY’S
BLESSING
LIST
think: Christians do not believe in reincarnation. Each of us has one life to live and then there is judgment.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ___________________________
____________________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today_________
____________________________________________
READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Jeremiah 11-14
SABBATH PAUSE
My weekly time with God
THANK YOU LIST
Things to be grateful for from the past week
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL NEEDS
Things to ask God for in the coming week
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
HIDDEN TREASURE
Most important word God told me this week
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
LIST
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