EXTRAVAGANTLY GENEROUS - 32ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (11/7/2021)

32ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
November 7, 2021

1 Kings 17:10-16
Psalm 146
Hebrews 9:24-26
Mark 12:38-44

EXTRAVAGANTLY GENEROUS

God has been extravagantly generous with us. And God appreciates it when we are extravagantly generous with him.
Today we hear about two widows, both of whom gave what they had - all they had - and received the Lord's blessing for having done so.

FIRST KINGS

The Lord certainly provided for the prophet Elijah! Just prior to the incident in today's reading - about the widow of Zarephath - Elijah had ravens bringing him food in the morning and evening and he drank water from a nearby stream. When the stream ran dry, the Lord directed Elijah to the widow in this selection.

This widow is in desperate straits herself but gives Elijah food to eat, literally her last piece of bread. Her generosity is  rewarded by Elijah's prophecy that "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."

The Lord uses the widow's generosity to meet Elijah's need for food, then uses Elijah's word to bless her abundantly. As this chapter continues, Elijah further rewards the widow by raising her son back to life after he had died!

How many times have we heard that "the Lord is never outdone in generosity."

GOSPEL

Today's gospel is a study in contrasts. It opens with Jesus issuing a strong warning against the religiosity of the scribes who craved recognition, signs of respect, and places of honor: "They devour the houses of widows and as a pretext they recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation."

Jesus contrasts their behavior with that of a poor widow who put "two small coins" into the temple treasury. Jesus praises her for giving "more than all the other contributors" because she gave out of her poverty, not from any wealth. She was an example of being "extravagantly generous with the Lord."

HEBREWS

Our second reading is a beautiful selection from Hebrews 9 on the priesthood of Jesus, which is contrasted with the priesthood of the Old Covenant. The Jewish High Priest entered the sanctuary of the Temple each year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and sprinkled the blood of sacrificed animals.

We are told that Jesus "did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands...but heaven itself, that he might appear before God on our behalf."

Christ has offered one sacrifice to take away sin, "once for all." The last verse reminds us that we will all have to face death and then stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Jesus "will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him."

EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY

What is the clear lesson for us today? God has shown his extravagant generosity by giving up his only Son that we might be redeemed and set free. Both the widow of Zarephath and the widow in the gospel demonstrate extravagant generosity.

It is worth noting that the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 usually translated "goodness" ( agathosune in Greek), also has connotations of "generosity," and in fact is translated as "generosity" in the New Revised Standard Version. Only the Holy Spirit can produce the fruit of "extravagant generosity" in us. May we ask for that grace today.