Daily Readings - Wed Jun 07 2023
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 guide us in navigating life's challenges with faith and trust in God. The first reading from Tobit presents us with Tobit and Sarah, both enduring immense suffering. Tobit, burdened by blindness and sorrow, and Sarah, grappling with the loss of seven husbands and ensuing shame, each turn to God in their darkest moments. Their prayers exemplify unwavering faith, seeking deliverance and mercy from God.
The Gospel reading from Mark features the Sadducees questioning Jesus about the resurrection. They pose a complex scenario involving seven brothers and a woman, inquiring whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus' response transforms their earthly perspective, explaining that resurrection life transcends marriage, likening it to the angels. He underscores God's role as the God of the living, referencing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, thus correcting their misunderstanding.
These readings intertwine themes of suffering, faith, and trust in God. Tobit and Sarah's stories highlight perseverance amidst adversity, while Jesus' teaching reveals the eternal nature of life with God. Together, they remind us to trust God's plan, even in suffering, and to focus on spiritual growth. The moral lesson is clear: maintain faith, trust in God's mercy, and recognize that our true life is eternal. Let us pray fervently and trust in God's promises, even when immediate results are unseen.