There are two possible mentalities. That of the predators, like the scribes who, as Our Lord says in today's Gospel, swallow up the widows' goods under the cover of hypocrisy. Or that of the protectors: and the first protector is God, who sees the poor widow and takes care of her.
In today's readings two widows appear and both are heroines. This clearly shows the difference between God's vision and that of men. We idealize the young, the handsome .... In the eyes of the world, the widow is a waste..., who is interested in an old widow?
But in God's eyes, widows are precious. Those who are least valued on earth are most valued by Him. It is as if He said: "Doesn't the world value you? Well, I will value you even more. I will adopt you and make you especially mine.".
The widow in the first reading is related to the prophet Elijah. There was a famine throughout the region-as punishment for the idolatry of the people-so this woman had no food. She only had the strength and food to prepare a small meal for herself and her son as they prepared to die. But Elijah challenges her generosity. It's as if he's saying, "You think you have almost nothing; well, give me some of that. Give from your poverty, from your destitution. Trust in God and you will never lack." The widow does so and, as a reward for her generosity, the food never runs out. She always has enough.
The same is true of the New Testament widow. She had no children, no family to rely on. She had nothing. But she gave God the nothing she had and God saw it - Jesus is God - and blessed her.
Widows who seem to have nothing to offer the world have much to give. Through their generosity, their faith and their trust in God. And God sees it and values it greatly. What men do not see and value, God does.
The rich and powerful looked down on that widow when they gave their large sums. Christ looked with joy and appreciation at what she gave: they gave what was left over, and probably with pride, to show off. She gave it all with humility. It is striking that Jesus called his disciples together to make this observation. He wanted to show us that he had seen. "Verily I say unto you." (note the insistence), "This poor widow has put more into the treasury than anyone else. For others have thrown in their surplus, but this one, who is in need, has thrown in all that she had to live on.".
Homily on the readings of the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Priest Luis Herrera Campo offers his nanomiliaA short one-minute reflection for these Sunday readings.
