Detachment for a “heart that sees” the neediest.

Today, the Gospel presents Jesus Christ as the Master, who speaks to us about the detachment which we must live by. In the first place, a detachment of our honor and recognition which, every so often, we are looking for: «Beware of (…) being greeted in the marketplace, and occupy the reserved seats in the synagogues and the first places at feasts» (cf. Mk 12:38-39). In this sense, Jesus prevents us from following the bad example of the scribes. In the second place, detachment of material things. Jesus Christ praises the widow while regretting, at the same time, the deceit of the others: «For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave [the widow] from her poverty and put in everything she had, her very living» (Mk 12:44). He who does not live the detachment of worldly things does live full of his own ego, and is incapable of loving. In such a state of mind there is no “room” for others: neither compassion nor leniency or understanding towards our neighbor.

“I have nothing…” “The jar…shall not go empty.”

Nothingness and emptiness – is there a difference? To speak of nothing brings to mind a sense of desolation and darkness. Emptiness on the other hand, isn’t so desperate; something empty can be filled: mu tea cup is empty but may be filled. Although we may describe times of our life interchangeably using nothingness or emptiness, they have different meanings for Christians.

Today’s first reading recounts the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. The context is this: the Jewish people stopped worshipping the true God to follow false gods, along with the high-ups of society exploiting the poor. So, the Prophet Elijah informs the king that there will be a drought until they repent. And Elijah flees (suite…)