All she had

This week we get two powerful stories in the lectionary -- both featuring widows!

When widows show up in biblical narratives, you can be sure we are meant to understand that we are talking about 'the most vulnerable among us'.  In a patriarchal culture, to be without a husband was to be exposed to the merciless power structures of the day.

In Mark's Gospel, we have Jesus observing people making offerings in the temple in Jerusalem -- first the wealthy and connected, then 'the widow' who puts in all she had.  He says that the former give out of their abundance and barely notice the difference; the widow, he says, gives 'out of her poverty,' but clearly still thinks she has something to offer.  She has a stake in it all that is larger than the large offerings of the powerful, for she is all in.  Nothing left.

The other widow story is one of my favorites -- Elijah and the widow of Zarephath.  Elijah, the prophet of the word of the Lord to the people, has been told by the Lord to go to a foreign country and find there a widow who is going to feed him.

Sounds simple like that.  A charming fable, fit for comforting children.

Only, there has been a drought, and famine in the widow's country, and she and her son are starving. Elijah is supposed to be fed by this person?

Well, long story short, there is a miracle, and her small supply of grain/meal feeds them all.  That feels like the fable part.  And, beautiful.  The Lord will provide.  Amen.

But, why is Elijah fleeing to a foreign country to begin with? Why is he needing to depend on other vulnerable people?

Elijah, as the 'prophet of the word of the Lord', has been bringing the word of truth to an unjust and corrupt political system in his own country.  That was his job, his own small part.  But, he has been cast out, and is fleeing for his life, directed by the word of the Lord -- which is always the word of truth.  And, in this truth there is a power that cannot be overcome.

And, so, the Lord tells him to flee to a foreign country and there among the small and vulnerable of that land, amid famine and drought, he will be fed.  There he will have to identify himself as 'among the powerless', himself. 

There will be solidarity springing from the literal Word of the Lord; there will be power; there will be comfort; there will be bread.

Deep breath.  Be restored.  Put in all you have.  Seek solidarity among the powerless. Be not afraid.  The Lord will provide, in ways completely unlooked for.