Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 3, 2021 -- THREE
Spiritually Speaking
Widow’s Mite
By Fr. Thankachan Joseph
Readings this week invite us to make a total commit-
ment to God’s service with a humble and generous heart
free from pride and prejudice. With regard to gifts, we
have a saying that goes: “It’s the thought
that counts.” Yet, in practice we often
forget this and use a different standard:
its size, its cost, etc. We often judge our
own contribution and that of others by
standards other than those of the Gospel.
Christ did not fall for it.
The First Book of Kings (17:10-16) Fr. Thankachan
depicts the generosity of a poor widow Joseph
who had barely enough food for herself
and her son but welcomed the prophet Elijah as a man of
God, shared her food with him, and received her reward
in the form of a non-stop supply of food during the fam-
ine. (This particular passage is found in a collection of
stories of miracles wrought by the prophet Elijah, who
challenged King Ahab and his cruel pagan Queen Jezebel
over the issue of worship of the false god Baal.) This poor,
pagan widow was a Syro-Phoenician living in Zarephath
in the territory of Sidon, in the middle of a famine. Elijah,
following the Near Eastern custom, asked the widow for
hospitality in the form of food and accommodation. The
widow was not unwilling but told the prophet that she
had enough for only one meal for her son and herself.
But Elijah asked her to demonstrate her trust in his God’s
providence by first giving food to himself, as the man of
God. She did as he asked, and we know what happened.
As a reward for her sacrificial generosity, she received
from God His blessing: her jar of meal and the jug of oil
were never empty as long as the drought lasted. This story
of the widow’s provisions, like the story of the raising
of her son when he died, emphasizes the power of God’s
word in the prophet’s mouth.
The letter to Hebrews (9:24-28) was written for
Jewish converts to Christianity, in part to help them
cope with the loss of the comforts they had enjoyed
from the institutions of Judaism. St. Paul teaches these
Judeo-Christians that Jesus, alive in the community, has
become the Holy of Holies and the High Priest, around
whom all temple worship revolved. Since Jesus replaces
both the temple and human mediators, the Christians need
not go to the temple in Jerusalem for worship. Under the
Old Covenant, a priest conducted an annual ritual sacrifice
in the sanctuary of the Temple, slaughtering a lamb. Paul
argues that Jesus himself has replaced the whole class of
ancient priests and that the earthly sanctuary has been
outdated by the sanctuary that is heaven, where Jesus the
Priest intercedes for us directly before God. Similarly, the
repetitive annual sacrifices have been replaced by Jesus’s
once-for-all sacrifice at Calvary. Thus, Jesus the High
Priest cleanses us from our sins, mediates for us now
with His Father, and assures us of our final deliverance
in the future.
In the Gospel of St. Mark (12: 38-44), Christ speaks
highly of a widow as He watches what was going in a
Jerusalem temple and explains to the disciples about
generous giving to God. The offering of the widow, in the
eyes of others, was the least. But in the eyes of Christ, it
was the greatest. The teaching that we could apply to life
this week are the following: 1) Let us learn to appreciate
the widows and widowers of our parish communities and
the marginalized sections of the society of our parishes.
Widows (and widowers), in addition to their deep grief,
often suffer from economic loss, from the burden of rear-
ing a family alone. Their loneliness draws them closer
to God and to stewardship in the parish. They are often
the active participants in all the liturgical celebrations,
offering prayers for their families and for their parish
family. Frequently, they are active in parish organizations,
as well as in visiting and serving the sick and the shut-ins.
Hence, let us appreciate them, support them, encourage
them, and pray for them. 2) Let’s accept Christ’s attitude
for judging people. We often judge people’s value by what
they possess. But Jesus measures us on the basis of our
inner motives, the intentions hidden behind our actions,
the sacrifices we make for others, and the degree of our
surrender to God’s holy will. The offering God wants
from us is our hearts and lives.
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Obituaries
Laurie Jo Harrison C. Jean Bennett
Bowman
Laurie Jo Harrison and Cheney, WA.
Bowman, daughter of Dave
Laurie made her home
and Norma Harrison of in Medical Lake where she
Vancouver, WA, passed took pride in the fact that
away on October 14,
she attended every
2021. Laurie was
single sporting event
born Sept 21, 1960,
for son, Christian,
at Coulee Dam, WA.
who went to school
She spent her
there.
early years of grade
Rick and Lau-
school at Davenport, Laurie Jo
rie had a passion for
WA, enjoying Lit- Harrison
traveling in their mo-
tle League games, Bowman
tor home, boating,
the swimming pool,
NASCAR, Mariners,
twirling her baton and go- Seahawks, Green Bay and
ing to basketball games the Gonzaga Zags.
with friends. She liked tak-
Laurie is survived by
ing baton lessons with her her son, Christian, who was
big sis and delighted in a great source of pride for
many escapades with her her; fiancé, Rick Wright;
brother, Karl.
parents, Dave and Nor-
Laurie spent her ju- ma Harrison; brother, Karl
nior high and high school Harrison; sisters, Susan
years at Heppner, where she Thompson (Scott) and Kel-
participated in volleyball, ly Boyer (John); nieces,
basketball and track as well Brooke Boyer Kates, Me-
as cheerleading with her gan Deffe (Shaun), Molly
sister, Kelly, rooting for the Hughs (Doug); nephews,
Heppner Mustangs.
Matt Gaffney, Zach Lust,
In 1979, Laurie grad- Tyler Boyer (Lindsey); two
uated from Cheney High great nephews, Cole and
School with honors and Evan; her good friend, Bob
went on to graduate from Miller and many relatives
Eastern WA College with and friends.
a BA degree in education.
“Laurie will be sadly
She was employed by the missed by all, but we will
Head Start program, Hous- have fond memories of her
ing Authority, and managed cheerfulness and love for
apartment complexes in family and friends,” noted
Vancouver, Medical Lake a family member.
Ione/Arlington competes at state
Pictured: Grace Ogden #4, Favi Juarez #7, Madison Orem #9, Haylie Peterson #11 and Naijiah Knight #9
The Ione/Arlington
volleyball team competed
against North Powder at
the state competition. The
girls showed up and put
North Powder on their heels
taking the first set 25-16.
Ione/Arlington fought back
during the second set from
an 11 point deficit for a hard
fought loss at 25-20. The
team continued to battle
for a loss in the third and
fourth sets.
The team consists of
Grace Ogden, Favi Juarez,
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C. Jean Bennett, 91, also served on the Mor-
passed away October 26, row County School Board
2021, at Pioneer Memorial for eight years, a position
she took great pride
Hospital in Heppner.
in. Later she found
A graveside service
her true calling as
will be held at 11 a.m.
the Morrow Coun-
Tuesday, November
ty brand inspector
2, 2021, at the Hep-
which she did for
pner Masonic Cem-
27 years.
etery. Attire is boots
Jean loved her
and jeans as that was Jean Bennett
family and living
what Jean was most
on the family farm where
comfortable wearing.
Jean was born April 2, they raised sheep, cattle hay
1930 and raised on the fam- and grain. She enjoyed the
ily farm on Hinton Creek outdoors and going to the
east of Heppner, the daugh- mountains.
Jean is survived by her
ter of John and Lulu Bickell
Hanna. She lived there until husband, Don Bennett;
shortly before her passing daughters, Deborah Sumner
with her husband of 71 (Paul), Judy Barber (Don),
Sandy Matthews (Skip);
years, Donald Bennett.
Jean graduated from six grandchildren and 14
Heppner High School in great grandchildren. She
1949. She was chosen as was preceded in death by
a princess for the 1946 her parents and siblings
Morrow County Fair and Genevieve Corbin, Mildred
Rodeo court along with Conner, Bill Hanna and
her lifelong friends Gwen John Hanna.
Donations in Jean’s
Healy and Darlene Hoskins.
Jean worked at several name can be made to Hep-
places in Heppner includ- pner Booster Club, PO Box
ing Ma Bell as a telephone 917, Heppner, OR 97836 or
operator. She then worked to Pioneer Memorial Hos-
at JC Penney’s and Gard- pital, PO Box 9, Heppner,
ner’s men’s wear. She was OR 97836
Sweeney Mortuary of
an active member of the
Morrow County Livestock Heppner is in care of ar-
Growers and spent sever- rangements. The online
al years as a 4-H leader. condolence book is avail-
Jean drove school bus for able at www.sweeneymor-
many years for the Morrow tuary.com.
County School District. She
Madison Orem, Haylie
Peterson, Naijiah Knight,
Cecilia McElligott, Sunem
Calvillo, Jolene Serrano,
Aubrey Blakley, Isabella
Mastriona, Callie Troutman
and Analisa Valdez.
Superintendent Kevin
Dinning told the Gazette,
“We are extremely proud
of the I/A volleyball team
this year. They have shown
determination and grit and
are great ambassadors of
our community.”