1 Kings 17:10-16
1. Elijah asks the widow to give away the last bits of flour reserved for her final meal. As a result, she receives a jar of flour that doesn’t ever go empty. Was it a leap of faith for her? Can you trust that you will always receive the grace you need to do the things God asks, for example, to feed the hungry, care for creation, end anti-racism?
2. Does God reward the widow in this reading? What are the rewards for helping others? On a scale of one to ten, rate your ability to give.
Second Reading
Hebrews 9:24-28
1. Compare Christ’s sacrifice with those of the two widows, the one in the First Reading and the other in the Gospel.
2. What did God the Father give away?
Gospel
Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44
1. In the Gospel Jesus says about the scribes, “They devour
the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy
prayers.” If there is a split between what you do in your
heart and what you say with your lips, is hypocrisy present?
2. According to Pope Francis, how do you develop a magnanimous
heart? Do you think it happens little by little or all at once? Is
grace needed?
The message of this Gospel passage is … an appeal to generosity. Generosity belongs to everyday life; it's something we should think: 'How can I be more generous, with the poor, the needy? … How can I help more’? ... We can do miracles through generosity. Generosity in little things. Let us ask for this grace from the Lord, this generosity which broadens our hearts and leads us to magnanimity. We need to have a magnanimous heart, where all can enter. Those wealthy people who gave money were good; that elderly lady was a saint.
Pope Francis reminds us that generosity matters
Nov 26, 2018
