November 11, 2012

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 155

A Reading from the First book of Kings

1 Kgs 17:10-16

>>>Jesus angered the Jews when He referred to this story:

Luke 4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.  25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;  26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow....28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

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."

>>>As Jesus mentioned, God had shut up the skies and as a result there was a great famine in the land.  The poor widow had resigned herself that she and her young son were going to die soon.  When Elijah, the Tisbit, happened by seeking something to drink.

She left to get it, and he called out after her,
"Please bring along a bit of bread."

>>>She went to get him the drink, but as she headed that way, he also asked for something to drink.

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.

>>>At that she stopped and said, "Look, I've only got a little bit for my son and I

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."

>>>I was getting read to heat it up in a small fire and after we eat, we shall lie down and die."

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.

>>>Elijah said, "Don't worry, I'm here now.  Do as you were planning but first, bring me a little bit of cake.

Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
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.'"

>>>Then you can make yourself and your son something to eat and I tell you the truth, God has told me that your food will not run out until the Lord sends rain on the earth.

She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

>>>She left and obeyed Elijah and just as Elijah foretold, her food did not run out for a year, just as Elijah the Tisbit had foretold.

Responsorial Psalm 

Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or:

R. Alleluia.

>>>In this world, we are tested and we suffer.  But those who love God will live with Him in Heaven for eternity.  And God will wipe away every tear.

Second Reading from St. Paul's letter to the Hebrews

Heb 9:24-28

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.

>>>When Christ ascended into heaven, He did not go into a manmade building.  But into the House of God, the true heavens.  Where He continually appears before God.

Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.

>>>He doesn't offer many sacrifices, but only one, the once for all sacrifice of His death upon the Cross.

But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.

>>>And in so doing He has taken away sin by His sacrifice.

Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, 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.

>>>Christ appeared once to die for our sins and will come back again to bring salvation to those who hope in Him.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark

Mk 12:38-44

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,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."

>>>Beware of those learned men who make a great pretense at holiness but then take advantage of those whom they are supposed to protect.

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
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.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."

>>>He also said, "Do you see this poor widow, she has put into the Treasury more than all of the rich men, because she has put into the Treasury, her whole life.  While they put in only a portion of their surplus.

Or  the alternate reading is virtually the same.  I'll post it without comment.

Alternate reading from the Gospel of St. Mark

Mk 12:41-44

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
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.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."

Sincerely,

De Maria