‘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.’ – 1 Kings 17:14

       I resigned from my stable job in advertising to focus on building my dream — to be a full-time crafter.

       When God planted this desire in my heart, I asked myself, “How the heck am I going to survive without a regular income?”

       For more than a year, I prayed for direction every day, and as I prayed, my passion for crafting grew. So I asked God, “What do you want me to do?” He answered with a smile on His face, “Pia, whatever it is that you decide to do, do everything for Me and with Me, and everything will fall into place.”

       My fear was replaced with peace and excitement. I knew I had to take a leap of faith. So, after more than a year of thinking and praying, I submitted my resignation letter. As promised, God made everything fall into place.

       Big and small freelance writing projects lined up like ants, enough to sustain me for the rest of the year. I now have more time to do arts and crafts, bringing me a step closer to opening my dream craft store. My God provides for my every need.

       Open your heart to God. Share your dreams with Him, because His will for you is to be happy more than words can express. Pia Angelica Suiza (piasuiza@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION: Where is God leading you?

Jesus, my Provider, You make all things new in Your perfect time. Grant me the humility and patience to listen to Your voice each and every day. Amen.

Blessed John Duns Scotus, pray for us.

What was going through the mind of the widow as she complied to Elijah’s request for food? Perhaps she was thinking that it did not matter if she and her son had one less meal before they died and so she gave the last of her food to Elijah. Her generosity, in turn, elicited an incredible response from God – a miracle no less! Her meal and oil stores became inexhaustible. This is a simple lesson to us about God’s providence. Whatever little we have is always sufficient in the hands of God Who has everything in abundance.

10 In those days, Elijah the prophet 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.” 11 She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” 12 She answered, “As the Lord, your God, lives, 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.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. 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. 14 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.’” 15 She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; 16 the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.

Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R: Praise the Lord, my soul!

7 The Lord keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. (R) 8 The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord raises up those that were bowed down; the Lord loves the just. 9 The Lord protects strangers. (R) The fatherless and the widow he sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. 10 The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. (R)

The Eucharist is the once-for-all-time sacrifice of Jesus. He dies only once. The Eucharist is a re-presentation of the sacrifice He made on Calvary. We all share in and commune with Him in His sacrifice. This is the power of the sacrament we celebrate. We should deepen our understanding of the Eucharist so that we will better benefit from its effects.

24 Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. 25 Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; 26 if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. 27 Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, 28 so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

The life of a Christian is characterized by humility and grace. The meaning of Christianity is rooted in service. Christ came to serve and not to be served. His examples are His ministry and passion. Church leaders need to reflect on the call to serve and ensure that the witness of their lives is not one of privilege but of service.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

38 In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, 39 seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” 41 He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. 44 For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

think: Whatever little we have is always sufficient in the hands of God Who has everything in abundance.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 64-66

Things to be grateful for from the past week

Things to ask God for in the coming week

Most important word God told me this week

THE “I” IN OUR GIFTS

I remember once when I celebrated my anniversary to the priesthood, I invited to the seminary many of the friends God has blessed my priesthood with. Of course, people from my former parishes were also there. I received several gifts that day: shirts, personalized Parker sign pens, perfume and several checks even. But in connection with today’s Gospel, I remember one particular gift that a parishioner from my first parish gave me — a small pad of stick-ons. Yes, stick-ons. It was not even the kind that you buy in a bookstore. It was obviously a free promo material given by a pharmaceutical company and its name was printed on every page.

       I smiled when I got that gift. On the first page, he wrote: “Padre, pagpasensyahan nyo na po ito. Libre ko lang po nakuha ito pero dalawang oras naman po ang binuno ko para makarating sa seminaryo nyo. He, he, he. Maligayang anibersaryo po!” (Father, this is not much. I just got this for free but I did spend two hours braving the traffic just to get to your place). Not that I didn’t appreciate all the other gifts I received that day. I did. But that one really got my attention. Her note took my attention away from the gift and directed my attention to the heart of the giver.

       Jesus in today’s Gospel reminds us of the kind of gift that catches God’s attention. Observing everyone who has put in their gift to the altar, Jesus said of the poor widow’s oblation of two small copper coins, “Truly I tell you… this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

       Jesus teaches us today the essence of a gift. Gifts are only an extension of the giver. Likewise, we are being taught how to receive a gift. We are to look not on the gift but on the affection of the giver. It’s all about the heart of the person.

       As a sage once put it: all give some, some give all. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Is your “I” included in the gifts you give? Do you appreciate and pay attention to the “I” that is sacramentalized by a gift that you received?

May the whole of my life be a gift blessed, broken and shared. Amen.