SUNDAY SERVICE

Sons were very important in ancient times.  In an agricultural society, they are the cost-free workers. Their payoff for working the fields was their inheritance of the land.  Daughters are seldom mentioned.  The saddest people in the Bible are widows.  They seemed to be helpless and hopeless.

In this week's readings, we hear of Elijah begging God to return life to the dead son of his friend, a widow.  God answered his prayer and all acknowledged that Elijah was a man of God - that his words were the words of God.  The woman rewarded.

In the Gospel, we hear of Jesus, many years later, raising to life the dead son of another mourning  widow.   The people called him a great prophet and his reputation grew.  The woman rewarded.

In each case, a son was raised.  In each case, he was the son of a widow.  Eventually, Jesus himself was raised from the dead and his widowed mother mourned.  The whole world rewarded.
*o*