Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue.
Excerpts collected in yellow tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him.
Excerpts collected in green tell us about something God wants us to do.
Links to collections of other scriptures addressing principles similar to those set out in these readings are provided at the very end of this post
Reading I
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." She left to get it, and he called out after her, "Please bring along a bit of bread."
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."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bringit 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.
widow = אַלְמָנָה = 'almānâ
Widow; desolate place
bring = לָקַח =lāqaḥ
to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire; to take and carry along; to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away; to take (in the widest variety of applications)
afraid = יָרֵא= yārē'
to fear, to be fearful, be dreadful; tremble
bring= יָצָא =yāṣā'
to go out, come out, exit, go forth;to deliver; bring forth (out, up), carry out; go forth; to rise
did = עָשָׂה=ʿāśâ
to do, fashion, accomplish, make; work, make, produce; to deal (with); to act, act with effect, effect;to attend to, put in order; to observe, celebrate;accomplish, advance; follow, fulfill;be industrious, labor; yield; produce by labor
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
The LORD keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down; the LORD loves the just. The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
The fatherless and the widow he sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
praise = הָלַל= halal
to shine; to flash forth light; to praise, boast, be boastful; be commended; glory; rave, celebrate; to be clear, to be brilliant; to sing; to make bright or shining
raises = זָקַף = zāqap̄
Comfort raise (up)
protects = שָׁמַר= šāmar
to keep, guard, observe, give heed; retain, treasure up (in memory); preserve; attend to
reign = מָלַךְ = mālaḵ
to be or become king or queen; to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; to be king; to counsel, advise
Reading II
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. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; 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. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, 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.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
poor in spirit = πτωχός = ptōchos
one who crouches and cowers; reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms; destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour;lowly, afflicted, destitute; helpless, powerless to accomplish an end; destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture; absolute or public mendicancy
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
Beggarly
kingdom = βασιλεία = basileia
primarily an abstract noun, denoting sovereignty, royal power, dominion; denoting the people over whom a king rules; the right or authority to rule;reign; royal power and dignity; the rule of God; God's rule, the divine administration; the universe subject to God's sway, God's royal domain
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
Dominion; being ruled by a king; reign
Gospel
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, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation."
He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 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. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."
Widow = χήρα = chēra
Widow; metaph. a city stripped of its inhabitants and riches; the idea of deficiency
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
Widow; without sauce; bereaved
Poverty = ὑστέρησις = hysteresis
want, poverty; falling short, i.e. (specially), penury:—want
What these readings tell us about God/His ways:
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.
The LORD keeps faith forever
secures justice for the oppressed
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down
the LORD loves the just
The LORD protects strangers.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains
the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever
through all generations
take away sin by his sacrifice
Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many
bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
What these readings tell us to do:
Do not be afraid
Go and do
She left and did as Elijah had said
The just
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
poor in spirit
from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood
Scriptures addressing similar principles are collected atWisdom Principles—God is a Refuge for Those Who Love Himand Wisdom Principles—True Piety
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