Welcome to St. John the Baptist Church

 REFLECTING ON GOD ́S WORD

My earliest memory of a widow was Aunt Lizzie: White-haired, seemingly very old but kindly. (I was four, so she was probably in her sixties then— how one ́s perspective ages with time!) She lived with my godmother and uncle, having contributed some of her savings to help them buy a house. My second memory was of Lana Turner playing the Merry Widow in the 1952 movie of the same name. Both were light years away, historically and curturally, from the widows in today ́s readings.

The widows in biblical times were imperiled. If they did not have sons who would care for them, their very lives could be endangered. The widow in the first Reading has a young son; she is collecting sticks to build a fire to prepare the last of her flour so they can eat and die. When Elijah ask them to prepare a cake for him she generously does so - which proves to be her salvation. Later he even restores her son to life.

Jesus watches a widow put in her last—literally—two cents in the temple ́s coffers. He has previously warned about the scribes who “devour the houses of widows” while reciting lengthy prayers (Mark 12:40). Some say Jesus is lamenting the foolishness of this widow. Like the prophets of the past who railed against the neglect of widows and orphans. But most think he is praising her generosity in giving “all she had, her whole livelihood” (12:44). Like her, Jesus will soon put all his trust in the Father.

James A. Wallace