I am often surprised by how common the feeling of “lack” is. It is part of human nature that, even when surrounded by abundance, a sense of scarcity lingers in the back of our minds, tempting us to hold back what we have, just in case we need it later. In 1 Kings 17:7–16, we are invited to reconsider our thinking by looking to the widow, who gives not from surplus but from what little she has left in her jar, offering a powerful example of trust and courage.

Giving from abundance does not cost us much. It rarely stretches us or widens our hearts. But giving when we feel uncertain, when we think we may not have enough, forces us to make a real decision. In my family, we often say that where one person can eat, two can also eat if each takes a little less. Sometimes we are called to have less so that someone else does not go without. The widow lives this out and shows us what that kind of faith looks like.

Perhaps we need to rethink what “lack” means. It is not just about how much we have, but about how willing we are to share it. Holding back out of fear reinforces the feeling that there is never enough. Instead, when we choose to give, that fear begins to loosen its grip on us. The jar becomes for us a symbol of trust.

This is not only about material things. It includes our time and effort, too. We often feel we do not have enough of either, yet we are still called to share them with others. Living this way is not easy, but it is there that our Lord calls us into his deeper kind of abundance, in how we live and how we love.

Let us pray:

Lord, help us to remain ever aware of Your constant presence in the joys and trials of everyday life. May we fight against the fear of lack, that our hearts be open to your call to share of ourselves with the world, that through our action of surrender to your divine providence, we may help reveal to the world the greatness of your love for us. Amen.