Tuesday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 17:7-16 | Psalm 4:2-5,7-8 | Matthew 5:13-16
Today’s reading is the prelude to Sunday’s first reading, and reveals how Elijah came to stay with the widow of Zarephath. What strikes me is the widow’s reaction to Elijah’s request for a portion from her almost-nonexistent stores. Indeed, she was solemnly making preparations for her final meagre meal on earth with her son, when Elijah asked her to divide up what would nowadays be considered table scraps.
It reflects a running theme in the Bible about people with the fewest possessions being the most generous. It also reflects, I think, a basic truism of human nature: if we’re down to our last few resources, we stop counting the cost and start getting generous out of all proportion. After all, if I only have a scone left to fill my stomach, sharing that scone with others wouldn’t make much difference to me – I’d still starve to death in the end.
Conversely, when we’re rich as Croesus, the concept of generosity for its own sake seems almost stupid. If I gave $1,000 to a charity, there goes my iPhone upgrade for the next two cycles, so are you nuts?!?!
And no, I’m not saying that being rich is stupid, or evil, or even necessarily negative – even struggling middle-class Singaporeans are virtual millionaires, especially compared to our suffering brethren in Africa and other poor nations. I am saying that it’s good to put ourselves in the shoes and minds of the disadvantaged, to gain perspective on the gifts that God has given us, especially the one about being born into a financially-stable family in a relatively prosperous nation.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
Just this past Sunday, I was talking to a fellow choir member about my Myanmar trip in 2014. We visited several orphanages in the highlands, and helped organise a Christmas party for the children.
I could tell you too about the sea change wrought in me by mingling with people who had nothing to their name but joie de vivre, but you’re probably tired of hearing it from pretty much everyone who goes on mission trips.
So I’ll tell you instead about the end of our Christmas dinner with the orphans, when three of them grabbed my middle-aged hands, and we all ran round in a circle at LUDICROUS SPEED!
Dear God, the four of us laughed like we’d never laughed before, and when we finished, I was breath-less, but definitely not dis-spirited. Certainly not when I was being crushed by the firm hugs of three children who, not having anything else to offer, gave me all their love.
Local kids, on the other hand, would probably have retired to their computers after Christmas dinner for a session of Call of Duty or some similar hack-slash-kill-kill-killfest. Borrrring. ?
Lord, you gave us Your life in reparation for all our sins. Remind us every day of Your call to our duty as Christians, to succour, comfort and protect our fellow humans, in whom we see Your Holy Face. Amen.