Have all made offerings from their surplus wealth

Dn 1.1-6.8-20; e Dn 3,52.53.54.55.56; Lk 21,1-4
25 NOVEMBER

The first widow of Scripture that consecrates all of herself to love is Ruth. She even changes her gods to be in full service of another poor and lonely widow.

“See now!” she said, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her god. Go back after your sister-in-law!” But Ruth said, “Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! for wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Wherever you die I will die, and there be buried. May the Lord do so and so to me, and more besides, if aught but death separates me from you!” (Rut 1,15-17).

The widow of Sarepta is chosen by the Lord in her great poverty to give nourishment to his prophet, an immortal example for every other prophet or man of God.

After some time, however, the brook ran dry, because no rain had fallen in the land. So the Lord said to him: “Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have designated a widow there to provide for you.” He left and went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.” She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” “As the Lord , your God, lives,” she answered, “I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.” “Do not be afraid,” Elijah said to her. “Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the Lord , the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord  sends rain upon the earth.'” She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the Lord  had foretold through Elijah (1Kings 17,7-16).

The widow Judith exposes herself to death in order to save her people. Did Jesus not expose his life on the cross for the salvation of the people of God and of every man?

Then Judith said to them: “Listen to me! I will do something that will go down from generation to generation among the descendants of our race. Stand at the gate tonight to let me pass through with my maid; and within the days you have specified before you will surrender the city to our enemies, the Lord will rescue Israel by my hand. You must not inquire into what I am doing, for I will not tell you until my plan has been accomplished” (Jdth 8,32-34).

Has not the prophetess Anna, a widow, consecrated her life in the service of the Lord? Does not she carry out in the temple the work of true evangelization in speaking of Jesus?

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem (Lk 2,36-38).

Even the widow admired by Jesus renounces something precious for the glory of the Lord. All these widows are women who love God from the bottom of their hearts.

When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

All these widows are images, figures of Lord Jesus. He must serve the world that lives in an eternal widowhood with its God, having repudiated him. He must nourish all the children of God with the poverty of his body and his blood. He must offer his life for our redemption and salvation, he must strip himself of everything for the greatest glory of the Father. We give the superfluous. He gives everything. We give things. He gives himself.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that Christians at least preach Christ according to truth.