Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's readings can be found here.

In the first reading, from the first book of Kings, a widow feels crushed by the demands of life. She sees her pantry, knows there is no money, and feels that she is on her last meal and will die soon. Elijah asks her for water, which she can provide. Then, he asks her for food, which she feels she cannot provide – even she and her son will die soon from starvation. He assures her that God will provide for her. She then gives Elijah a little cake made of flour and oil, a cake made from what she had, definitely not her surplus. Then a miracle happens, she and her son eat for a year from her pantry. They do not die.

In today's rough economic times, we may feel a large squeeze when it comes to tithing. We may look at the bills that have to be paid, and see one that is paid out of the kindness of the heart and choose to skip that one. This really isn't the right approach. Our tithe is a gift to the church. It is a sacrifice. It is an offering of love and support. Scriptural tradition of tithing asks giving 10% of everything we have, not just of our surplus, or extra, but 10% of everything. The church asks for 5%, and recommends giving 5% to another charity.

Today's gospel tells us the story of a widow who gave all she had for God by her tithe. Today's first reading tells us the story of a widow who gave her last meal to a man of God. In biblical times, widows did not work and had no hope of earning more income themselves. Their hope was the community that cared for them. Still they gave. Can we model our own lives after these women?

In the first reading, we might ask about the mechanics of the widow and son's survival. Does a miracle occur where the pantry creates its own food? Does Elijah go into her village and tell the priest, “there is a widow dying of starvation, provide for her.”? We cannot know. What we know is that in a hard time, a woman had faith to give what she had to help another person. What we know is that God blessed her for it, and God provided for her. He will bless us and provide for us too if we have that same faith.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for today's readings!

The second reading tells us, “Be imitators of God and live in love as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us.” What a challenge. Has anyone ever imitated God? Have we created life? Have we instructed others? Have we helped the poor, the lost, the lonely? Actually... maybe we have. Some of us have children, have taught others and have assisted those in need. Perhaps we have had success in imitating God.

The reading instructs us further to imitate God and live in love as Christ loved us. The challenge grows. Have we loved as Christ loved us? Christ loved us and handed himself over for us. Are we capable of a sacrificial love such as this? Sacrificial love has the good of the other at heart. Sacrificial love asks the most of the giver and often gives nothing in return.

There may be times when we are capable of sacrificial love, but not always. Life has the ability to wear down our desire or drive to love this way. How then, do we nourish ourselves to become more capable of this type of love? “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you.” is the advice that the angel of the Lord gives to Elijah. This advice is good for us as well. The Bread of Life, Jesus, is offered for us on the altar today. The sacrifice of this Bread from Heaven is offered for us to feed us spiritually. It is offered to us freely to nourish our spirits to be able to love as Jesus loved. To nourish us to imitate God. This bread was given to us to sustain us on our earthly journey until we reach our heavenly home.

Jesus gave us his life as a sacrificial offering, a sacrificial love. The Eucharist is offered for us. It is offered to sustain us, to encourage us and to help us love sacrificially.