Christian Reflection and Prayer

Verse

Then 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.'
Mark 12:43

Voice

People may come to our communities because they want to
serve the poor; they will only stay once they have discovered
that they themselves are poor.
Jean Vanier

Prayer

God, may all who serve the poor do so in humility. May our
service reveal our own poverty. And may we honor the
contribution of the poor widow just as we honor the gifts of
the wealthy. Amen.

Elizabeth Edwards

On December 6, 2010, the Edwards' family announced that she
had stopped cancer treatment after her doctors advised her that
further treatment would be unproductive, the cancer having
metastasized to her liver. She had been advised she had several
weeks to live. Her family members, including her estranged
husband John, were with her. She posted her last message
on Facebook:

    "You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life
by three saving graces – my family, my friends, and a faith in the
power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me
through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the
good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives,
for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are
certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength
and patience as we would like. It's called being human.

    But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and
in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days
I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for
that I am grateful. It isn't possible to put into words the love and
gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support
and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know."

Elizabeth Edwards died of metastatic breast cancer on
December 7, 2010, at home in Chapel Hill, surrounded by her
family and friends

Just as gold can’t become gold without going
through a difficult process, so, too, do our
challenges refine us and bring out the value
within us. Don’t be fooled by those who walk
around looking like gold. Many people look
good on the outside, but that doesn’t
necessarily mean that they are good. Most of
the best people in the world have gone through
hard times. They’ve gone through a refinement
process.

So embrace the challenges that come your way.
God is bringing out the gold in you. No matter
how dark and hard life may seem for you today,
God can refine you and make you shine.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein