FIRST READING: 1 Kings 17:8-16

⁸The word of the LORD came to [Elijah,] saying, ⁹"Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you." ¹⁰So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink." ¹¹As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." ¹²But she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a

couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." ¹³Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴For thus says the LORD the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the LORD sends rain on the earth." ¹⁵She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.

PSALM: Psalm 146 - please read responsively

¹Hallelujah! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

²I will praise the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

³Put not your trust in rulers, in mortals in whom there is no help.

⁴When they breathe their last, they return to earth,

and in that day their thoughts perish.

⁵Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help,

whose hope is in the LORD their God;

⁶who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;

who keeps promises forever;

⁷who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to those who hunger.

The LORD sets the captive free.

⁸The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;

the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

the LORD loves the righteous.

⁹The LORD cares for the stranger; the LORD sustains the orphan and widow,

but frustrates the way of the wicked.

¹⁰The LORD shall reign forever,

your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

Stand

P: The holy gospel according to St. Mark, the 12th chapter.

C: Glory to you, O Lord.

GOSPEL: Mark 12:38-44

³⁸As [Jesus] taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! ⁴⁰They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater

condemnation."

⁴¹He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are

contributing to the treasury. ⁴⁴For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to you, O Christ.