What are we prepared to give up?

Homily

32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday 10^th November 2024

First reading	1 Kings 17:10-16
Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 145(146):7-10
Second reading	Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel	Mark 12:41-44

 

A few weeks ago, in the Gospel, we heard how a rich man came up to Jesus, full of enthusiasm, and asked, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Initially, Jesus questioned him about why he had called him good? No one is good but God alone. Then Jesus told him that the rich man knew the commandments and went through them with him. The rich man said he had kept them all from he was a child. You can picture the rich man smiling at Jesus, pleased with himself. Jesus looked at him steadily with love, and said to him ‘there is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, then come, follow me’.

Imagine President-elect, Donald Trump being asked to sell everything. Or Elon Musk. How do you think they might respond?

Today, the two stories given are at the opposite end of the spectrum, where someone has very little but is prepared to give all. One is in the first book of Kings and the other Jesus tells his disciples what he saw being put into action.

At Sidon’s city gate, Elijah asked a widow if she could get him a little water. Initially, the widow did not refuse, but when he asked her for a scrap of bread, she had to pause and explain her situation. She had barely enough for herself and her son, expecting this to be their last meal before dying.

Elijah, gently told her not to be afraid, encouraging her to go off and use the little oil and meal she had, to bake a small scone for the three of them, and foretold what God has said the jar of meal and jug of oil would not go empty.

However, the story does not end there. The widow’s son fell ill and died. In her distress she accused Elijah of bringing her sins home to her and punishing her by taking her son. Elijah, in turn, pleaded with God not to take the boy from the woman who had been so kind to him. And the Lord heard him, and the boy’s soul returned, and he revived. When Elijah brought her son to her, she rejoiced and proclaimed him to be a man of God and that the Lord’s word was in him and was truth itself.

What Jesus had witness was how another poor widow had given every last penny she had into the treasury, not sparing any for herself to live on. Yet, those with plenty only gave a small proportion of what they had left over. It may have seemed to be vast in comparison to the poor widow, but it was miniscule compared to what they actually owned.

King Solomon built the first temple and was aware it was not possible to house God Almighty. When the Israelites sinned, King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed this temple. Seventy years later,  King Cyrus of Persia brought the Israelites out of Babylon and proclaimed “The Lord, the God of Heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, he has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in Judah.” The Romans destroyed the second temple in AD70. In both temples the priest sacrificed bulls and lambs, whose blood was offered as an atonement for the sins of the Israelites. None of the temple priest offered themselves as sacrifices.

Paul reminds us Jesus did not need a manmade temple to be in the presence of God because he could appear in the actual presence of God in Heaven itself, to be an advocate, a mediator on our behalf.

When Jesus, the son of God, entered this world to be with us, he gave up everything he had. He gave up his authority and power, humbling himself to become lower than the angels, and act Satan could not agree with. Jesus gave up everything to offer himself as a sacrifice for us, to die on the cross for our sins.

So far this year, since last Christmas, we have come to Mass at least forty-five times, if we attended once a week. We may have received the Eucharist each time, but Jesus died for us only once. He is not being offered time, and time again. Only once did he die on the cross, taking on all the sins of ever human being who ever lived and who ever will.

Paul reminds us, we too only die once, and then are judged, but if we have put all our trust in him, we have nothing to fear, because Jesus promises us eternal life. What we need to nourish us will never become depleted. The Jug of Oil will not dry up. The Jar of Meal will be plentiful.

As we wait patiently for Jesus’s Second Coming, if we keep on being faithful, even if we have to die, Jesus will crown us with eternal life. Therefore, do not be tempted by what the world appears to offer because it will make false promises and tell us lies to try and persuade us away from God. Material things corrode and fall apart, nothing lasts for long. What we have to learn to do is give our lives up to Jesus, he will shoulder our burdens. If we wait for him faithfully, salvation with be our reward.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

We say, Amen! Alleluia!

 

 

 

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