By Fr. John Brobbey
On this Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B), the first reading from 1 Kings 17:10-17 presents three things God cannot do: He cannot be late, He cannot lie, and He cannot disappoint. The entire pericope will be from verses 7-24, within the context of a severe famine. The wider setting spans 1 Kings 17 – 2 Kings 2, and the location is Zarephath, a Phoenician town.
To begin with, the prophet appears in the life of the poor widow when she has run out of supplies and is gathering sticks to prepare her last meal (17:11). She had reached a dead end in her life, preparing for death after her final meal with her son—but God had other plans. God appears in her life at the right time because He is present everywhere and absent nowhere. No matter what we are going through, the situation may seem hopeless, but we should always remember the widow of Zarephath. The silence of God is not the absence of God. He won’t be late.
Moreover, God cannot lie. In Numbers 23:19, we read, “God is not man, that he should lie.” The prophet said to the woman, “Do not be afraid… Go and make as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me… For the Lord, the God of Israel, says, the flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry” (17:13-14). Following the prophet’s words, the widow did not run out of supply until the famine was over. Sometimes the demands of faith may seem irrational, illogical, or senseless. But remember: God cannot lie. His promises are sure and true.
Furthermore, God cannot disappoint. Our God turns disappointment into appointment, mess into a message, and test into a testimony. Problems and challenges only herald miracles—there has never been a miracle without a problem. The story ends with the raising of the widow’s son. Indeed, the death of her son meant she had no legal rights. When God brings you to it, He will lead you through it. Death remains humanity’s common and ultimate enemy, but our God demonstrates His power and authority not only over nature, sickness, and forces of darkness, but also over death. The worst that can happen to us is death, but our God is the author of life. In Him, we live and move and have our being. Our lives do not depend on any individual, organization, or earthly power; He holds our lives, and He cannot be late, lie, or disappoint. Shalom!