The Widow's Mite

In our last article on the prophet Elijah, we left him in the wadi Cherith sustained by the water running through the desert ravine. At this point in his journey, he received his daily portion of bread from the mouths of the ravens sent by God to feed the prophet of Carmel. We will now see how God’s providence continues in the life of Elijah, in very unexpected ways…

When the Water Runs Dry

"After some time… the wadi ran dry…" (1 Kgs 17, 7)

As the days of drought continue to draw on in length, the water levels of the wadi begin to decrease. The course of the stream does not flow as swiftly. Pretty soon there is more bank than stream. The water continues to disappear as the bed of the wadi Cherith appears. The stream bed turns into a mess of mire and mud, and is now completely undrinkable. Elijah knows that he has to move on in order to survive, but he does not leave the wadi Cherith until the word of the Lord comes to him. Elijah continues to remain in a spirit of total abandonment. In some sense, the dryness is setting him free. There has to be a detachment even from the water which God provides. Elijah, in freedom of spirit, will move on… He is ready for God to lead him.

Getting up to Go

"Arise, go to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow there to feed you." (1 Kgs 17, 9)

The word of the Lord does come and the divine command surprises Elijah: he is supposed to Arise and go to Zarephath to find a widow who will care for him. It is a long journey (ca. 100 miles) into gentile territory, a region traditionally hostile to the people of Israel. Yet, it will be in this foreign land that the prophet enjoys the hospitality of a widow, becoming a member of her household. God's providence works in a mysterious way. Elijah trusts, he does not argue with God at the seeming impossibility of his demand. The prophet gets up and goes and seeks out the help of a helpless widow.

As Elijah arrives at the entrance of Zarephath he sees the widow of whom God spoke. He watches her silently as she picks up sticks on the ground. She is going to build a fire. The wood she gathers are branches fallen from the trees which have withered up in the heat. Everything is brown and dry. The bright sun, shining in the blue and cloudless sky, continues to bake the land. Despite the heat bearing down on her brow and back, the widow dressed in her black garments of mourning continues resolutely in her task. God has commanded her to provide.

Elijah finally speaks. Is he breaking custom by asking this woman for a cupful of water? It doesn't matter, God commanded him to seek out her hospitality. She willingly assents to the request and goes to fetch water for the man of God. Perhaps, she is hoping for a prophet's reward? Elijah pushes her hospitality to the limits when he asks for bread to eat. The widow admits the limits of what she is able to provide. She and her son are on the verge of death. There is nothing in her cupboard except for a handful of flour and little oil in a jug. Elijah responds: "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Afterwards 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." (1 Kgs 17, 13-14).

Despite the impossibility of the demand the woman goes and does as Elijah had said. Elijah, the widow and her son, along with her household will live from hand to mouth for the remaining period of the drought. God will not fill the jar of flour to the top nor will the Lord make the jug of oil overflow its own brim. Instead, the Lord will provide what is sufficient for the day. Just like the manna in the desert. The Israelites were only supposed to collect enough for the present day. The miracle is that the widow trusted, and provided for all. God responded to her faith and did not let the jar of flour go empty or the jug of oil run dry. God works in unexpected ways and through unexpected means. Of all people, the widow and her mite became the means by which God would sustain his mighty prophet.

Being Unafraid

"Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said." (1 Kgs 17, 13)

At the heart of the narrative is Elijah's encouragement: "Do not be afraid." The widow is intimidated by the thought of her poverty. The famine has left her destitute and she is resigned to die along with her son. We can only imagine how the widow felt, knowing that not only her death but also the death of her son was imminent. Elijah addresses her fear: "Do not be afraid..."

It is easy to give into fear in the experience of poverty and to hold onto what we have, for dear life. To feel limits, both material and spiritual, is a concrete reminder that human life is contingent. Everything depends upon the material resources that keep us alive: food, clothing, housing and the other necessities of life. It is hard to think that most of the world lives without the basic provisions necessary for life. It is hard to think that many people go to bed hungry every night.

Elijah makes a promise. He is confident in the God who has already provided for him in the wilderness. He prophesies: the jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil... When we feel empty and without, it is precisely in that moment to go and do as God commands. Sometimes, we do not feel like we have anything to give; and yet, we must not be afraid of our personal poverty. That would be a temptation to self-reliance and evidence a spirit of self-interest. Rather, in our personal poverty, we need to see the very condition in which the Holy Spirit works. Truly, blessed are the Poor in Spirit for it is then that the Spirit of God reigns over the soul.

Thinking of this blessing – to be poor in spirit – we should ask God for the same freedom to trust that we see in the prophet of Carmel, praying: “Lord, I want to trust like Elijah and the widow who helped him in his time of need. I pray that I will be confident of your providence, surprised by the means that you use to care for me.” In times of want, whether the need is temporal or spiritual, we should not forget the goodness of God. In prosperity we do tend to forget God, and we get self-reliant. But then a time of difficulty arises and, in the adversity there is an opportunity to remember God and turn to him.

As a Carmelite religious, I am grateful for my own life of vowed poverty. It provides the opportunity to always live from the hand of God. I do not need to take care of myself, and it is an absolute necessity that I not give into a spirit of acquisition by which I would freely reach out and take for myself – to provide for myself. So, I ask God to help me to love poverty and to remain poor. Every Christian must learn to follow Christ with this same kind of simplicity and trust.

The Widow’s Might:

The widow a foreigner and a gentile, the prototypical example of the poor in Old Testament literature, in a complete reversal of roles is the one who provides out of her own want for the prophet Elijah. It is a reminder for all of us who may or may not have the means to provide for the poor, the hungry, the naked, and the homeless. With whatever means we possess we are to give... God will bless and multiply whatever we offer in the name of charity. We should stop and pray for a moment: “Jesus, I pray for the widow's might. I do not want to be afraid in the face of my own poverty. There are so many people who need you. I want to bring you to them, who are the Bread come down from Heaven; food for the life of the World. Amen.”