Scripture:
1 Kings 17:10-16
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44
Reflection:
Widows are women who have gone through suffering. They have experienced the loss of their husbands and have had to learn to cope and develop new life strategies. Both widows in today’s readings display a wonderful spirit of generosity as well as trust in God. The widow in the Gospel gave (in the Greek) "her whole life."
I read a story about a woman who was driving in L.A. The cars on the freeway came to a standstill. As she stopped behind the car in front of her, she looked with horror into her rearview mirror. She saw a car barreling down the freeway with a distracted driver and knew she was about to be hit very hard. She noticed that her hands were clenched tightly around the steering wheel. Instantly she thought, "This is the way I have always lived by being in control and clutching tightly…I’m not going to die this way." She let go of the steering wheel and placed her hands by her sides. The impact was powerful. The cars both in front and behind her were totaled with her car sandwiched between them. Miraculously, she escaped unharmed. The police told her that because she had let go and relaxed, she was less susceptible to injury.
This experience taught her that she could live life with an open hand instead of a clenched fist. She relaxed and now feels more connected to herself than she ever has. It is an entirely new way to live.
These readings challenge our life’s strategy. Rather than clutching tightly, we are invited to live life "open handed" and give our entire being to God in trust. These readings inspire us to surrender finances, time, our potential, and our heart to the one who can increase and multiply us. Perhaps you could take a moment now to open your hands in prayer and surrender all you are to God.
Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P. is a missionary preacher, author of 13 books and creator of the TV program Live with Passion! airing in many cities. You can learn more about his ministry at: http://www.frcedric.org/