Two widows are our unlikely
teachers this morning. I say “unlikely” because in the ancient world in
which the Prophet Elijah and Jesus lived widows were not teachers. In
those patriarchal societies, women were almost non-persons: they were
expected to be subordinate and silent, always letting their fathers or
their husbands do the talking for them. So, when a woman became widowed
she was completely silenced because she no longer had a man to speak for
her. No wonder the Hebrew word for widow comes from a word which means
“unable to speak.” Widow means, quite literally, “the silent one.”
So,
it’s really quite remarkable that our teachers today in both Old
Testament and Gospel readings are widows. If we are willing to listen,
two widows, two unnamed “silent ones,” speak to us a message that is
both poignant and profound. And the message is this: give. Give without
counting the cost, give not from your surplus, give from your substance.
That’s what the widow from Zarephath did when she used her last measure
of flour and her final few drops of oil to bake some bread for the great
but seemingly insensitive prophet, Elijah. We are being told: Give as
she gave. And then, give as the widow of the gospel gave when she placed
her two paltry coins – all she had to live on - into the temple
treasury.
But,
you might be thinking, “let’s get real. That’s pretty impractical. What
about more worldly wisdom? What about ‘charity begins at home?’ What
about ‘God helps those who help themselves?’” Well, these scriptures
take us to a different place, to a place where faith rules, not fear,
where piety has first place, not practicality. In a word, the
unquestioning and uncalculating generosity of the two widows is meant to
challenge each of us to step back and examine both the manner and the
measure of our own giving.
And the example they set is not as
far-fetched or unrealistic as it might seem. In fact, I can tell you
that this Cathedral parish is actually full of givers like those widows.
There are so many of you who give in the way those widows did: quietly,
generously, when it really costs you. The way you support this parish is
a wonderful thing. The way you give is something that never ceases to
move me. It’s both humbling and inspiring.
My friends,
all the things you love about our parish are made possible by one thing:
your giving, your sacrificial giving - beginning with this beautiful
Cathedral itself which has enormous upkeep costs, and then there the
prayerful liturgies, the incredible music, the faith formation classes
for our kids, all the classes we have to prepare for baptism, first Holy
Communion, Confirmation, and marriage. And then there’s the way we walk
with the people who want to become Catholic, the way we welcome back
people who have been away from the Church, our Bible study, grief
ministry, and all our adult faith formation offerings. On top of that
are our extensive outreach programs for the poor and the needy,
including the Cathedral Kitchen, Sunday morning breakfast, our Immigrant
Assistance program, the Solanus Casey Center, and our St. Vincent de
Paul Society outreach.
That’s
what Sacrificial Giving is all about. Sacrificial Giving makes all that
possible, and so much more. Sacrificial Giving is about giving back to
God what God has given to us. Through our gift to the parish, we —
together — with God’s help, make all those good things happen.
If you are a registered parishioner at the Cathedral, you received a
letter from me this past week inviting you to make a commitment to the
parish for 2025. If you’ve brought that pledge card with you, I hope you
will bring it forward to the altar at offertory time. If not, please
consider giving this some thought in the coming week and bring your form
with you next week.
Or you can always go online and make your commitment there. Thank
you, in advance, for your response. The generosity of this parish never
ceases to amaze me, and it’s not something I take for granted, believe
me! So thank you.
Let me
conclude by returning to where I began – to those widows. Teachers they
surely are. And what better teachers could we ask for on this, our
annual sacrificial giving Sunday? “Silent ones,” they teach us not with
words but with actions. Believers full of faith and full of trust they
are, totally reliant on God. May the same be true for each one of us!
Father Michael G. Ryan
|
|
