Daily Readings - Wed Jun 02 2021
Tobit
1Then Tobit sighed, and he began to pray with tears2saying, "O Lord, you are just and all your judgments are just, and all your ways are mercy, and truth, and judgment3And now, O Lord, remember me, and do not take vengeance for my sins, and do not call to mind my offenses, nor those of my parents4For we have not obeyed your precepts, and so we have been handed over to plundering and to captivity, and to death, and to mockery, and as a disgrace before all the nations, among which you have dispersed us5And now, O Lord, great are your judgments. For we have not acted according to your precepts, and we have not walked sincerely before you6And now, O Lord, do with me according to your will, and order my spirit to be received in peace. For it is more expedient for me to die, than to live.7And so, on the same day, it happened that Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, in Rages, a city of the Medes, also heard a reproach from one of her father’s servant maids8For she had been given to seven husbands, and a demon named Asmodeus had killed them, as soon as they had approached her9Therefore, when she corrected the maid for her fault, she answered her, saying, "May we never see son or daughter from you upon the earth, you murderess of your husbands10Would you also kill me, just as you have already killed seven husbands?" At these words, she proceeded to an upper room of her house. And for three days and three nights, she did not eat or drink11But, continuing in prayer with tears, she beseeched God, so that he would liberate her from this reproach12And it happened on the third day, while she was completing her prayer, blessing the Lord13that she said: "Blessed is your name, O God of our fathers, who, though you had been angry, will show mercy. And in time of tribulation, you dismiss the sins of those who call upon you15I beg you, O Lord, that you may absolve me from the chains of this reproach, or at least take me away from the earth16You know, O Lord, that I have never coveted a husband, and I have preserved my soul clean from all impure desire17I have never mingled myself with those who play. And I have not presented myself as a participant with those who walk with levity
Mark
18And the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, approached him. And they questioned him, saying19"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if any man’s brother will have died and left behind a wife, and not have left behind sons, his brother should take his wife to himself and should raise up offspring for his brother20So then, there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and he died without leaving behind offspring21And the second took her, and he died. And neither did he leave behind offspring. And the third acted similarly22And in like manner, each of the seven received her and did not leave behind offspring. Last of all, the woman also died23Therefore, in the resurrection, when they will rise again, to which of them will she be a wife? For each of the seven had her as wife.24And Jesus responded by saying to them: "But have you not gone astray, by knowing neither the scriptures, nor the power of God25For when they will be resurrected from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but they are like the Angels in heaven26But concerning the dead who rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him from the bush, saying: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Therefore, you have gone far astray.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, suffering, and the promise of eternal life. The first reading from Tobit presents us with two figures, Tobit and Sarah, who are each enduring immense suffering. Tobit, overwhelmed by his circumstances, prays for mercy and acceptance of God's will, even if it means death. Similarly, Sarah, having lost seven husbands and facing scorn, turns to God in prayer, seeking liberation from her affliction. Both stories highlight the human experience of grappling with pain while maintaining faith in God's providence.
The Gospel reading from Mark shifts our focus to a theological debate about the resurrection. The Sadducees, skeptical of the afterlife, pose a question to Jesus about a woman who marries seven brothers, asking whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus responds by clarifying that the resurrection is not a mere continuation of earthly life but a transformation. He emphasizes that in the resurrected state, we will be like angels, free from the bonds of marriage and earthly concerns. This teaching underscores the spiritual nature of eternal life and corrects the Sadducees' misunderstanding by referencing God's covenant with the patriarchs, asserting that He is the God of the living, not the dead.
These readings remind us to trust in God's mercy and providence, even in the face of suffering. Like Tobit and Sarah, we are called to perseverance and faith, knowing that our ultimate hope lies in the resurrection. Jesus teaches us that our true fulfillment is not in earthly relationships but in a spiritual existence where we live in the presence of God. As we navigate our own struggles, may we find strength in prayer and trust in God's promise of eternal life, where suffering will be transformed into joy and peace.