Widows and orphans lead the way

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today use the lives of widows and orphans to present witnesses to goodness and trust. The Prophet Elijah is instructed to go to pagan territory which is in a state of famine. Friar Jude Winkler comments that his encounter with the non Jewish widow is a reminder that goodness exists outside our religious tradition. The widow makes a decision to share her meagre food resources with the man, FatherLarry Gillick SJ comments, is known to be a holy man. The understanding of God and perhaps the tradition of hospitality toward strangers may be the background for the generosity and trust shown by this woman. In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus questions the practice of the scribes and Pharisees who parade their holiness in the public square by long open prayer and seek the positions of honour which their devotion to religiosity demands from observant believers. The demonstration of attention to prayer and relationship to God is a priestly function which is required by those formally called to the role. The Letter tothe Hebrews reminds the Jewish Christians of the role of Jesus as the High Priest who perfects the ancient Temple sacrifices for sin. This exhortation to see the Way of Jesus as invitation to a New Covenant is delivered, in the opinion of some scripture scholars, to believers who have been exiled from Temple and synagogue worship in a time when persecution of Jewish and Christian is the policy of Rome. The one sacrifice of Jesus and His entry into the heavenly “Holy of Hollies” is the perfection of the New Covenant. The orphaned Jewish Christians are rich in reconciliation relationship with God. Friar Jude observes that we all have been gifted differently in the grace of God which empowers our acts of love, selflessness and trust. The celebration of the “widow’s mite” recognizes how her life is blessed in deep trust in God. The psalmist reminds proclaims the faithfulness of God to the orphan and widow as the wicked are condemned to ruin.