« Last
Sunday the Lord Jesus answered the question made by the Pharisee about the most
important precept of the Law. “You shall love the Lord your God… and you shall
love your neighbor…” It is a commandment
with two parts.
« Today
Jesus will say to us that the poor widow has given more than anybody else.
FIRST READING :
I Kg 17:10-16
Ø The
two books of Kings are the continuation of the First and Second Books of
Samuel.
Ø In
the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible called the LXX(seventy) and in the
Latin translation called the “Vulgata”
they are called III and IV Kings, because I and II Samuel are called I and II
Kings.
Ø These
books are part of the Deuteronomistic History, which goes from the entrance
into the promised land to the exile in Babylon (587 BC) They are called by the
Jews “Former Prophets”
Ø The
author or the authors of the books write
after at the end of the exile.
Ø The
theology is the same as in all the other deuteronomistic books:
o
Monotheism. The God of Israel is the only one. If we
remember the first Reading of last Sunday we could perceive that Israel means
that God is unique different from all the other gods=idols. But they accept
that other peoples have their own gods.
o
The
Messianic Hope, in the Southern Kingdom= Kingdom of Judah we have the
promise of the Emmanuel which will confirms the promise made to David that
his dynasty will be always on the throne of Israel.
o
In the Northern Kingdom= Kingdom of Israel they
legitimacy is based on the fact that they are the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
o
The exile
considered as the punishment for their infidelity to the Covenant.
« The
reading for this week belongs to the so called “Cycle of Elijah” chapters
17-19.
« We
encounter the great and terrible Prophet Elijah
who performs his prophetic ministry in the Northern Kingdom, denouncing
the infidelity of the Kings and the People as well.
« There
is a great drought and it is related to the words of Elijah who has asked God
to stop the rain until Elijah shall ask God to send it.
« Elijah
has asked for the rain to stop, as a punishment for the people.
« Their
culture would attribute to God anything related to the natural phenomena which
were considered as the weapons of God.
« The
scene is situated in this reality of poverty due to the drought.
« Elijah
arrives at Zarephath of Sidon obeying the voice of God.
« Elijah
speaks with a poor widow. He asks from her food and water. The woman does not
have any food, only a little bid for her and her son, and after eating they
will wait for death.
« Elijah
insists that she give food to him and he assures her that the food will last
until the drought is over.
« The
woman believes in the words of the man of God, and the promise becomes a
reality.
SALMO RESPONSORIAL – Ps 146 PRAISE THE
LORD, MY SOUL!
ü Psalm 146 is a hymn to God, the creator of the
universe and the defender of the poor.
ü
God
o
Heals
the brokenhearted
o
Gives bread to the hungry
o
Gives freedom to the captive
o
Gives sight to the blind
o
Loves the just and protects the stranger
o
He sustains the widow and the orphan
o
Raises up those who are bowed down
o
Thwarts the way of the wicked
o
God reigns, and his way to reign is
o
To protect, to care, to serve his creature with
tender love.
GOSPEL Mk 12:38-44
« This
gospel Reading has two teachings of Jesus: One about the falsehood of some
Pharisees; the other about the true discipleship.
« In
the first part Jesus says: beware of the
scribes, they look for places of honor in the streets and at banquets. They
want people to believe that they are superior, different from the rest.
« These
same men who want to be honored, instead of willing the honor only for God,
take advantage of the needs of the poor.
«
In the second part Jesus is in front of the
treasury of the Temple and sees the people putting their offering of money into
it. A poor widow comes and puts two little coins.
« Jesus,
who has eyes to see the truth in each one of us, says that this poor widow has
offered more than anyone else.
« He
calls his disciples and teaches the lesson about love and trust in God. A
lesson about the poverty mentioned in the first beatitude.
o
This widow has given more than the others. We
may imagine the surprise of the disciples.
o
She has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood. She could have given only one coin and keep
the other, but she gave everything.
o
While the others have contributed from their
surplus wealth.
« How
happy we should be if we accepted the invitation of Jesus to be poor, to have a
heart free from the little or the much we have, and share it with who is in
need.
SECOND READING
: Heb 9:24-28
ü We
continue to read from this beautiful letter about the priesthood of Christ
Jesus.
ü Christ
has entered into the real sanctuary, heaven itself.
ü
To be in the presence of God making intercession
for us. He is our Redeemer.
ü He does not have to offer the sacrifice to
God repeatedly. He has appeared at the end of time, and offers himself
in sacrifice once and for all. He will
return a second time not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who
await for him.
ü In
the Eucharistic celebration we proclaim his death and await his second
coming.
These words cause
such a consolation and confusion in the soul, that only the one who has at any
time heard them will be able to understand. How will it be compared to this
most ungrateful creature to whom our Lord has done this grace so many times? I
confess, for the glory of God, that this is the grace, which gives my soul more
detachment not only from all the things of the earth and from me, but even from
my own soul. And this humiliation that, in these occasions, I do not know what
to tell Him: only to be ashamed and to shrink as if I would like to hide not to
see the Majesty of God so humiliated, giving thanks with so great love to the
least of his creatures for a little service she, helped by his divine grace,
does to Him.
Ah, Lord!!! What
shall I say to express what happens in my soul in these moments, writing such
delicacies of love? There is only one thing I can say, that, if man would know
the gratitude of the heart of Jesus for the benefits received, there could be
no man ungrateful to God’s benefits. And I do not die of sorrow for my
ingratitude seeing such gratitude in my Lord Jesus Christ. Venerable
Maria Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sistsrs,
Autobiography 91-92.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLARET, Antonio María. Autobiografía.
PARIS, María Antonia. Autobiografía en Escritos.
Schökel, Luis Alonso, La Biblia de
nuestro Pueblo.
Sagrada Biblia. Versión oficial de la Conferencia
episcopal española.
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