32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

So Elijah went to Zarephath. On reaching the gate of the town, he saw a widow

gathering sticks. He called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel that I

may drink." As she was going to bring it, he called after her and said, "Bring me also a

piece of bread." But she answered, "As Yahweh your God lives, I have no bread left

but only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am just now gathering

some sticks so that I may go in and prepare something for myself and my son to eat -

and die." Elijah then said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said, but

first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me; then make some for yourself and

your son. For this is the word of Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'The jar of meal shall not

be emptied nor shall the jug of oil fail, until the day when Yahweh sends rain to the

earth." So she went and did as Elijah told her; and she had food for herself, Elijah and

her son from that day on. The jar of flour was not emptied nor did the jug of oil fail, in

accordance with what Yahweh had said through Elijah.

Christ did not enter some sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven

itself. He is now in the presence of God on our behalf. He had not to offer himself

many times, as the High Priest does: he who may return every year, because the blood

is not his own. Otherwise he would have suffered many times from the creation of

the world. But no; he manifested himself only now at the end of the ages, to take away

sin by sacrifice, and, as humans die only once and afterwards are judged, in the same

way Christ sacrificed himself once to take away the sins of the multitude. There will

be no further question of sin when he comes again to save those waiting for him.

In his teaching Jesus said "Beware of those teachers of the Law who enjoy walking

around in long robes and being greeted in the marketplace, and who like to occupy

reserved seats in the synagogues and the first places at feasts. They even devour the

widow's and the orphan's goods while making a show of long prayers. How severe a

sentence they will receive!" Jesus sat down opposite the Temple treasury and watched

the people dropping money into the treasury box; and many rich people put in large

offerings. But a poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins. Then Jesus

called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more

than all those who gave offerings. For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave

from her poverty and put in everything she had, her very living."