Let my prayer come before you, O Lord; incline your ear to my prayer (Ps 87:3).

 Let my prayer come before you, O Lord; incline your ear to my prayer (Ps 87:3).

The liturgy invites us to contemplate the gesture of two poor widows, who represent the least of society: the hospitality of the first is rewarded by God and the generosity of the second is praised by Jesus. In this Eucharist, we bless the Lord, who teaches his Church the salvific meaning of giving, does justice to the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.

First Reading: 1 Kings 17:10-16

The Word that we will hear has the person of Jesus at its center. He offers himself out of love and teaches us the value of generosity, which is lived as openness to the calls of others and as a life project that is pleasing to God.

A reading from the first book of Kings – In those days, 10Elijah set out and went to Zarephath. As he approached the gate of the city, he saw a widow gathering sticks. He called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a jar so I can drink.” 11 As she was going to draw water, Elijah called to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” 12 She replied, “As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread. Only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jar. I was gathering two sticks to prepare some for myself and my son, so we can eat and then die.” 13 Elijah replied, “Don’t worry! Go and do as you have said. But first make me a little bread from it and bring it to me. Then you can do the same for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up, nor will the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.’” 15The woman went and did as Elijah had told her. And they ate, he and she and her household, for a long time. 16The jar of flour did not run out, nor did the jar of oil run dry, just as the Lord had said through Elijah. – The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: 145(146)

Bless the Lord, my soul, bless the Lord!

1. The Lord is faithful forever; / he executes justice for the oppressed; / he gives food to the hungry; / the Lord sets captives free. – R.

2. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; / the Lord raises up those who are bowed down; / the Lord loves the righteous. / The Lord protects the stranger, / he upholds the widow and the fatherless, / but he thwarts the ways of the wicked. – R.

3. The Lord will reign forever! † O Zion, your God will reign / forever and ever! – R.

Second Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews – 24Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands, which is a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25And it was not to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the sanctuary every year with blood that is not his own. 26For if that were the case, he would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world. But now, in the fullness of time, he has appeared once for all to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27For it is the destiny of all men to die once, and after that comes judgment. 28In the same way, Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, apart from sin, to save those who eagerly await him. – Word of the Lord.

Gospel: Mark 12,38-44 or 41-44

[The short form is in brackets.]

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, / for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 5,3). – R.

Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark – [At that time,] 38Jesus said, in his teaching to a large crowd: “Beware of the teachers of the law! They love to walk around in fancy clothes, to be greeted in the marketplaces; 39they love the best seats in the synagogues and the best places at banquets. 40They devour widows’ houses, pretending to make long prayers. For this they will receive the worst judgment.” [41Jesus was sitting in the temple courts opposite the treasury and watching how the crowd put their coins into the treasury. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42Then a poor widow came and put in two small coins, which were worth almost nothing. 43Jesus called his disciples and said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others who gave alms. 44Everyone else gave out of their abundance, while she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”] – Word of salvation.

Reflection:

Before this episode, Jesus said to be careful with the teachers of the Law. They “devour widows’ houses, under the pretense of making long prayers” (v. 40). To illustrate his teaching, Jesus shows the enormous contrast between the generous gesture of the widow, who puts “two small coins” in the treasury, and the movement of the rich, who put “their surplus money” in there. The widow gives her life, makes God the supreme value, while the others put in their superfluous things.