Last Sunday’s readings teach us that God prefers generosity from the heart. The first reading and Gospel sing the praises of two holy women.

In the first reading, the Lord sent Elijah the prophet to Zarephath in Sidon to be cared for by a poor widow. There was a great famine raging though out the land, as part of God’s justice and resulting in a shortage of food. The widow only had enough meal (flour) and oil to prepare the last meal for her son and herself, they would then die. In spite of this, she gave food to Elijah, trusting totally in his promise and God’s goodness. Elijah had said: 

For thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel: Jar of meal shall not be spent, just of oil shall not be emptied, before the day when the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.

As predicted, there was a miraculous multiplication of the flour and oil. They did not run out and she had enough bread for herself and her son for a year, until the famine ended.

The widow in last Sunday’s Gospel is also extraordinary in her generosity as she gave her two small coins into the collection in the Temple. Many wealthy people put large amounts into the treasury from money they had left over, but the poor widow gave everything she had to live on, trusting totally in God.  The Gospel also shows that God watches what we give and values the dispositions of the giver, more than the gift received. For God looks at the heart of the giver.

This reminds me of the story of St Christina who lived in Belgium in the high Middle Ages. As a young woman she fell into a catatonic state and was pronounced dead. During the requiem Mass, while the open casket was inside the Church, she suddenly awoke and rose to the Church rafters like a bird, terrifying the congregation, who fled in panic. Later Christina explained that she had taken refuge in the rafters because she couldn’t stand the smell of the sinful people at the funeral.  The ability to smell sin was a special grace God had given her after her near-death experience. Sometimes she would dive into freezing rivers to escape the smell of sinners. Finally, she entered a Convent and became a model Nun and a confident to the whole town. The ability to smell sin was an extraordinary grace. God also notices the stench of sin and pride in people. This is something abhorrent before the purity of the Lord. Jesus often criticized the Scribes and Pharisees for appearing virtuous on the outside but inside were full of pride, self-love and hard heartedness.  Jesus looks beyond appearances and at the heart. If we strive to die to our own will and live only on God’s Will, this is the surest way to overcoming self-love and growing in generosity and holiness. For when we are in God’s Will, there is no sin, because every sin is an act of the human will. Praise be Jesus Christ and the Eternal Fiat, now and forever!