32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - B - November 8, 2015

A Small Gift

Sometimes, the little things we do make all the difference in the world. Consider the story of the poor widow in Mark’s gospel. She gave only a few coins, but it was all she had. That small act of giving became an example of what Christian charity should be all about: give, not in the spirit of giving, but in faith. No matter how poor we might become, we will be cared for by God.

MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we find acts of charity, no matter how small, can be acts of faith. They show us that, ultimately, God will take care of us.

FIRST READING 1 Kings presents us with the story of the starving widow from Zarephath. When Elijah asked her for food, she believed his prophecy concerning her and her son. Her act of kindness led to God’s activity in her life.

PSALM Psalm 146 proclaimed the person who trusts in the Lord is truly happy.

SECOND READING Why do we hope in God? Hebrews gives us an answer. No matter how much we try, we cannot truly please God. But, with faith in Christ, we have hope, for he is our mediator with the Father.

GOSPEL In Mark 12, we meet the poor widow who donated all her daily earnings to the Temple’s charity. She gave up her meal money so others could have help. Her charity was a true act of trust in God.

CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, Tommy shared his lunch with Bobbie. They became better friends from this act of kindness. The widow who gave Elijah a meal became better friends with God, because she believed. In the story for the gospel, Betty gave just a dime, so some girls could see a movie. Betty’s selfless act led to a new friendship. The poor widow’s selfless act led to honor the rich could never image, praise from the Messiah.

CATECHISM LINK In this week’s Catechism Link, we consider the virtues of solidarity and social justice in “Leaders and the Good of All.”

FAMILY ACTIVITY To teach the notion of “sacrifice” to your family members, clean out a closet and ask your family what they really need and what they can donate to charity.