God's grace and blessings never cease for those with a generous heart toward others. The first reading from the first book of Kings (17:10-16) teaches us that God always provides and sustains those who fully put their trust in Him. This is the first lesson we learn from the passage on the encounter between Prophet Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. Prophet Elijah trusted the word of God that told him to leave Mount Horeb where he had taken refuge for the pagan city of Zarephath. Elijah was deeply convinced that God would provide him with safe shelter and nourishment in the town of Zarephath. Upon arrival near Zarephath, Elijah met a widow; I imagine he felt in himself safe and confident to speak to the lady. The lady was apparently dressed culturally as a widow and that’s what she was indeed. She was collecting some firewood as fuel for her kitchen. Elijah’s short conversation might have assured him that God had sent him to this widow. Despite her poverty she manifested generosity and faith in God. Elijah knew that God could not make a mistake or put him in harms’ way while He (God) had promised him safety. The widow accepted the words of Elijah and was willing to share with Elijah, a total stranger to her, the very last meal they would eat with her son.

The Gospel tells us a story of a widow who contributed her last penny to the Temple treasury. Jesus praised her act of total submission to God’s providence. He pointed to his disciples an example of faith in God, the source of everything. The widow entrusted herself to the benevolence of God in giving as offering her entire wealth. God gives in return and in abundance those who absolutely depend on Him. Goodness is never lost. Goodness brings good things in return.

The second reading presents Jesus as the new High Priest; like the widows and the prophet Elijah, Jesus gave away his divine dignity to become a man. Having become a man, he trusted whole heartedly in his Father God who sent him into the world. Convinced of his Father’s omnipotence and love, Jesus entered the Holy of Holies with his own blood for the salvation of the world. He was nailed on the cross believing that his Father would raise him up. He rose from the dead as proof of the Father’s providence.

Apostle Paul illustrates God’s providence and Jesus’ generosity in his Epistle to the Philippians 2: 6-11:
“who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be [a]grasped, 7 but [b]emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and [c]being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death [d]on a cross. 9 For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

God provides to his believers what they need. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, God intervenes for the human needs, to Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, to Tobit, Tobias and Sarah, and to all the patriarchs, prophets and kings, to the Apostles and disciples, to us today. We are called only to identify God’s doings in the ordinary events of our lives. A spiritual person is one that is aware of the hand of God in daily life. Elijah, the two widows and Jesus show us the example of being spiritual persons. We pray that God may grant us the favor to discern his presence and actions in our every day’s life.