Deacon Greg's Homily 11-11-18
[First, I offered our thanks and prayers for all of our Veterans on the occasion of Veterans Day, then proceeded with the Sunday Homily…]
I wonder if we could assume the role of Elijah for a moment. We continue to wander through our lives, doing our best to proclaim the Truth of the Lord. We continue to share his message as we journey towards that mountain. God continues to provide for us. Before the excerpt in today’s First Reading from the First Book of King’s, God sends food to Elijah, as ravens bring him bread and meat. He prepares a Widow to welcome him, giving him what he needs from what little she has. Like the Prophet, our wanderings include many good days, and many days through our own deserts. In these past few weeks our country has had shootings with many killed in a Synagogue and in a Country & Western Bar. This weekend, many are dead and thousands are displaced from wildfires ravaging towns in Southern California. Closer to home, we face the reality of our own lives... Family members who are sick, loved ones who have died. Where is our help? How can we get through all of this? We’ve all heard the answer... God will provide!
Now take the the role of the Widow in both our First Reading, and the Gospel. We’ve been through our share of struggle, and yet we are asked to give more! The widow represents that part of us who has been asked to give everything we love, and everything that brought joy and happiness. But the widow also represents that part of us who is courageous and trusting that all shall be well; that part of us who is willing to keep on giving if that is what is asked this day. In this month of November, we celebrate those who have died, like in this Book of the Dead and on those Cards of Remembrance. But for each name listed here, there is a person or persons that have been asked to give their very sources of joy, and trust in a tomorrow without them. In moments of loss, we’ve been asked to get up the next morning, knowing that, not only would God provide, but we would trust that we can handle the challenge and grow forward as God wills it. We are called to trust!
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” (Luke 12:48). In today’s readings we see two widows give everything they have, even after they’ve given everything they’ve had to give. Both, however, do so with a sense of total trust in the promises that had been given them. The widow in the First Reading knew that someone would be coming along, yet she never revealed that to Elijah. She was prepared to serve, with what little she had! And for that, she received the rewards of her promise from the Lord that all would be well. Notice that the famine preceded Elijah and abundance came to the land after his visit. The widow in the Gospel gives her last two coins to the treasury, her whole livelihood! Some of us could criticize her for being a bad financial planner, but Jesus celebrates her faith! This is a woman who knows her God and has put her life in His hands! She recognizes that life is not about possessions, but faithfulness. Remember, in both cases, the widow is asked to give what is insufficient, that is, the little bit of food left or those two coins couldn’t possibly make the difference. But it is in the act of this kind of giving that we see a trust in God’s abundance! When we trust that God will provide, and we see it though, just like these widows and widowers, God delivers!
We’re reaching the end of our Liturgical Year, and we’re approaching the banquet promised us by Christ, our victorious King. We have come this far, and we have grown into the disciples that we are today, but the journey is not over, because we are more than what we have become, and we are called to become a better version of this person who sits here today. The second reading from Hebrews would argue that this banquet table that we journey towards, is much like the mountain that the Prophet seeks. This “sanctuary, not made by human hands,” stands firm and is ready to receive us. The work of the Lord has been completed, and needs not to be repeated, because this heavenly table is perfect. Moreover it offers a pattern of grace. The old pattern was death followed by judgement. But after Jesus’ singular death and resurrection, there is not more death, but salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
There’s certainly more for us to do in this life, and yes, more will be asked of us. But knowing that God has provided and has given us the ability to know and trust in his love, we can continue our journey towards our mountain, and open ourselves to yet another Advent and rebirth of Jesus Christ into our hearts! AMEN!
I wonder if we could assume the role of Elijah for a moment. We continue to wander through our lives, doing our best to proclaim the Truth of the Lord. We continue to share his message as we journey towards that mountain. God continues to provide for us. Before the excerpt in today’s First Reading from the First Book of King’s, God sends food to Elijah, as ravens bring him bread and meat. He prepares a Widow to welcome him, giving him what he needs from what little she has. Like the Prophet, our wanderings include many good days, and many days through our own deserts. In these past few weeks our country has had shootings with many killed in a Synagogue and in a Country & Western Bar. This weekend, many are dead and thousands are displaced from wildfires ravaging towns in Southern California. Closer to home, we face the reality of our own lives... Family members who are sick, loved ones who have died. Where is our help? How can we get through all of this? We’ve all heard the answer... God will provide!
Now take the the role of the Widow in both our First Reading, and the Gospel. We’ve been through our share of struggle, and yet we are asked to give more! The widow represents that part of us who has been asked to give everything we love, and everything that brought joy and happiness. But the widow also represents that part of us who is courageous and trusting that all shall be well; that part of us who is willing to keep on giving if that is what is asked this day. In this month of November, we celebrate those who have died, like in this Book of the Dead and on those Cards of Remembrance. But for each name listed here, there is a person or persons that have been asked to give their very sources of joy, and trust in a tomorrow without them. In moments of loss, we’ve been asked to get up the next morning, knowing that, not only would God provide, but we would trust that we can handle the challenge and grow forward as God wills it. We are called to trust!
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” (Luke 12:48). In today’s readings we see two widows give everything they have, even after they’ve given everything they’ve had to give. Both, however, do so with a sense of total trust in the promises that had been given them. The widow in the First Reading knew that someone would be coming along, yet she never revealed that to Elijah. She was prepared to serve, with what little she had! And for that, she received the rewards of her promise from the Lord that all would be well. Notice that the famine preceded Elijah and abundance came to the land after his visit. The widow in the Gospel gives her last two coins to the treasury, her whole livelihood! Some of us could criticize her for being a bad financial planner, but Jesus celebrates her faith! This is a woman who knows her God and has put her life in His hands! She recognizes that life is not about possessions, but faithfulness. Remember, in both cases, the widow is asked to give what is insufficient, that is, the little bit of food left or those two coins couldn’t possibly make the difference. But it is in the act of this kind of giving that we see a trust in God’s abundance! When we trust that God will provide, and we see it though, just like these widows and widowers, God delivers!
We’re reaching the end of our Liturgical Year, and we’re approaching the banquet promised us by Christ, our victorious King. We have come this far, and we have grown into the disciples that we are today, but the journey is not over, because we are more than what we have become, and we are called to become a better version of this person who sits here today. The second reading from Hebrews would argue that this banquet table that we journey towards, is much like the mountain that the Prophet seeks. This “sanctuary, not made by human hands,” stands firm and is ready to receive us. The work of the Lord has been completed, and needs not to be repeated, because this heavenly table is perfect. Moreover it offers a pattern of grace. The old pattern was death followed by judgement. But after Jesus’ singular death and resurrection, there is not more death, but salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
There’s certainly more for us to do in this life, and yes, more will be asked of us. But knowing that God has provided and has given us the ability to know and trust in his love, we can continue our journey towards our mountain, and open ourselves to yet another Advent and rebirth of Jesus Christ into our hearts! AMEN!
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