From The Bishop

A poor widow is the principal focus of both the First Reading and Gospel of the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Reading from 1 Kings, a widow and her son share their meagre food supply with the prophet Elijah and are rewarded for their generosity. In the Gospel of St. Mark a poor widow offers two small copper coins in the temple treasury and is commended by Jesus because she contributed out of her poverty; others contributed out of their abundance. Both of these women were not afraid to share what little they had because they trusted in the Lord and were generous. This allowed them to be able to make the sacrifice. This Sunday our nation pauses to remember the great sacrifice made by so many in the pursuit of peace and freedom. It is Sir Winston Churchill who stated, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few.” We are grateful for the example of the poor widow in our Readings and those who died in defending our freedom. They remind us of the importance of trusting in the Lord, having a generous heart, and of the willingness to sacrifice for a greater good.