Today’s First Reading and Gospel Proclamation, at a glance, seem to be telling us to give beyond our capacity. Yet they actually reveal a deep secret of the Kingdom of heaven to us, who we are citizens of heaven though now in this world.

In the First Reading, Prophet Elijah was sent to a widow, who was on the verge of utter hopelessness due to the severe drought. She had made up her mind to eat her last meal with her son and face death. The Word of God came to Prophet Elijah that God had directed a widow to provide food for him. We can learn two lessons from through this incident.

1. God’s leading encouraged Elijah to boldly request from the widow to make his meal from the last bit of flour and olive oil because he had received confirmation from God that the widow would provide him food. He had a Word for her from God. This would ensure that “her jar of flour would not be used up, and the jug of oil would not run dry” until the rain came.

2. The widow had an obedient heart that was open to God’s Word that enabled her to draw the miracle from heaven.
Both Elijah and the widow chose not to look at their circumstances and the strange nature of Gods direction, but to trust His Word wholeheartedly. Both of them experienced an “open heaven” above their lives.

In the Gospel proclamation, another poor widow also did the most impractical thing, putting into the temple treasury, all she had to live on. Heaven’s financial values are different to this world’s, as shown by our Lord Jesus who watched people putting their big offerings to the temple treasury. The One who sees the heart and the hidden thoughts of the mind, saw the deep love which made the poor widow put in the last two coins she had.

She trusted that the God she loved, would provide her next meal. Imagine the treasure she would have gotten deposited in her heavenly bank account! The poor widow knew the secret of a wise investment. The Lord is teaching us an important lesson of living in freedom and joy, to those who think we are more smarter and advanced in the 21st century. In today’s Second Reading, the letter to the Hebrews, the author confirms that our Lord and Teacher would know exactly how things are in heaven, because he was in heaven, and is now appearing for us in God’s Presence. And He is the One who will come in glory to judge according to Heaven’s Law, not that of earth. What does that mean? All our wise arguments, disputes and excuses will not matter at the end. So let us resolve today to submit to heaven’s Wisdom, the leading of the Holy Spirit in every big and small decision in our life.

Prayer: Abba Father, grant me the grace to enter that reality fully of not worrying each day, to walk by faith and not by sight. Amen.