Reading 1
Tb 2:9-14
On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead, I, Tobit, went into my courtyard to sleep next to the courtyard wall. My face was uncovered because of the heat. I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me, till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts. I went to see some doctors for a cure but the more they anointed my eyes with various salves, the worse the cataracts became, until I could see no more. For four years I was deprived of eyesight, and all my kinsmen were grieved at my condition. Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years, until he left for Elymais. At that time, my wife Anna worked for hire at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do. When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her. Late in winter on the seventh of Dystrus, she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners. They paid her the full salary and also gave her a young goat for the table. On entering my house the goat began to bleat. I called to my wife and said: "Where did this goat come from? Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners; we have no right to eat stolen food!" She said to me, "It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages." Yet I would not believe her, and told her to give it back to its owners. I became very angry with her over this. So she retorted: "Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!"
Gospel
Mk 12:13-17
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at." They brought one to him and he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They replied to him, "Caesar's." So Jesus said to them, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." They were utterly amazed at him.
Something 2 Think About
I've been on an extensive leave of absence from the daily bread/word of God that I have now felt the hunger to be fed by His Holy word and to continue to share the Good News of the Lord. Actually it's been eating away at my conscience. As Fr. Corapi once put it, the devil is an opportunist and used my shame, that unworthy feeling of worth, against my relationship with the Lord; and to the talents and treasures that God has given me I kept to myself and did not share. Enough is enough, it is time to continue to pick up where God had left off.
After reading today's reading from the book of Tobit, I thought about how terrible it must have been to become blind and what an awful cause of his blindness. Basically, the birds decided to do their business aiming at his eyes causing the infection and blindness. Sounds funny, but every day we get poop shot in out eyes. Not literally of course, but spiritually speaking. Poop from what we see and hear in the mainstream media affects our vision to see and hear God around us. Thus we become blind and foolish as Tobit's wife points out.
So who can wipe our faces clean so that we may see again? Only Jesus Christ. Some of us may have been blind for days, months, and even years but God does not measure time because for God time is infinite. The oppression I experienced which caused me to take a few steps back is the same tactic the devil uses on many people to lead them away further from God and His Church. "Oh, you are not worthy of God" or my favorite "It's too hard, life should be easy and fun." I easily fell into myself and placed God a near second in the race. Now I am slowing down a bit and allowing God to lead the race. Can we all say the same?
The Pharisees and Herodians were also opportunists setting Jesus up in today's Gospel but rather than allow their tactics to get the best of Him Jesus responds in a clam manner answering their question back with a question making a point rather than an argument. I can easily have my emotions get the best of me and make rash decisions but I do thank the Lord to bless me with those moments of prudence whether through my conscience or my wife He steers me back on the path He has called me. Can we have easily reacted as Christ or would we be quick to be on the defensive?
I ended my extended leave of absence from His daily bread, and I pray that many of us will also come back to dine with the Lord not only on a Sunday but every day.
Post a Comment