Dear Parishioners of St. James:
Praised be Jesus Christ!
God wants to bless us if we trust Him. The two poor widows in the readings for Holy Mass this Sunday had nothing: No husband as a provider, no money, no food; they were going to die very soon. But they both shared one critical quality: They trusted God to provide for them. The poor widows heard God’s word, believed it and trusted their very lives on God’s faithfulness. God looked upon these women and rewarded their trust.
When we hear God’s word do we act upon it like these widows? His word strikes us to our very core. The Christian life is about giving God His due. The poor widows teach us that trying to please God alone is what truly matters. They did not seek recognition like the religious leaders or the wealthy. They did not seek public honor.
God uses the poor to shame the strong, the lowly believer to convict the religious “higher ups” and the dying to rebuke the wealthy self-reliant. Which figures in the readings today did God reward? Whom did Jesus praise? Whom did He condemn?
God bless you,
Fr. Geary
Saint James Catholic Church 