25th Sunday After Pentecost, Nov.10, 2024;  proper 32

Ruth, 3:1-5, 44:13-17; Heb, 9: 24-28; Mark, 12: 38-44

Rev. Jude Iloghalu

Imitating God’s Generosity

 I overheard someone say to another, “Take high five for faith.” It warmed my heart because faith is no longer popular to the average Canadian, faith no longer captures their cultural imagination. we hear folks characterize this trend as hatched, matched and depatched.  Despite that, a key motivator that still propels people of faith is that they believe in, recognize and worship a generous God; a God that should not be taken for granted.  From the New Testament accounts, we are aware that through God’s initiative Jesus the God-man, came into human history and went about lavishing God’s generosity via miracles and association with outcasts and those on the margins (See Acts 10:38ff). This came to culmination in his sacrifice on the cross as the letter to the Hebrews attests as follows “… he has appeared once for all… to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that judgement so Christ.. will appear a second time… to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

             God’s generosity did not start with the historical Jesus; it has been there since time immemorial. The first reading from the book of Ruth is a testament that the generous God doesn’t leave us in hard times. Let me give you a bit of the context of the reading. The story begins with tragedy. Famine in Israel forces Noami, her husband (Elimelech) and their two sons to move to another country, called Moab. Naomi’s husband dies there. Then the two sons marry Ruth and another woman respectively. The sons die after ten years. Now we have three widows from one family. Naomi learns that the famine has ended and decides to go back to Israel. Aware that the status of widows is at the lowest rung, Naomi bids the widows of her sons to remain in their country to remarry while she herself returns to Israe1 ql; to face her fate so to speak.

While the other widow stays back, Ruth decides to stick with Naomi; to go back with her no matter what. They return to Israel and Boaz, Naomi’s husband’s nephew marries Ruth—of course through the support of Naomi.  They give birth to a son who once again becomes a next-of-kin to Naomi bringing her hope and joy once more. We could glean that God comforts Naomi through Ruth’s love and compassion and also blesses Ruth through Naomi and Boaz.  Generosity has come full circle. It begins with Ruth and circles back to her. It’s all God’s generosity unfolding.

          What does God expect of us?

God wants us to imitate God’s generosity. At the Last Supper Jesus said to his disciples, “My example I am giving you,”. He lived and taught a unique example of generosity and wants his followers to follow suit.

Hence in the gospel passage he praises the poor widow’s generosity in comparison to what others have given. He lauds her open-handedness despite abject poverty. Looks like today the Lord is using widows, nobodies at the time in Israel— like Ruth, Naomi, and this one in the gospel- to teach us to imitate God’s generosity. 

            Today it is pertinent to highlight also the generosity of veterans who served this country and in doing so fought for the freedoms, we take for granted. But we do not want to take their sacrifices for granted. We remember, are grateful  and celebrate them. Some are still alive, most are dead.  May they rest in peace. We recognize those still in active service. May God bless them.

Let me conclude by saying that generosity manifests in various ways in which many of us are part of. Generosity mirrors the character of God and continues to give God glory. As St. Teresa of Avila would say, Christ no longer has eyes, feet and hands.  So, yours are the eyes through which Christ shows compassion to the world; yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He blesses the world.  Keep up the good work.