Breaking the Word

9^th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 7^th June 2023 – Tobit 3,1-11.16-17; Mk 12,18-27

God Responds, Sends and Unfolds Plans

In the first reading, Tobit and Sarah, both raise a prayer to God in deep distress. They feel that life is no longer worth living and seek to end the misery of their lives.  Tobit experiences a lot of trials due to his blindness. As a result of all the hardships, he prays that God will allow him to die. This is similar to earlier prophets and holy men, who requested to leave this life of misery – Moses (Num 11,15); Elijah (1 Kgs 9,14); Jonah (4,3.8); and Job (7,15). At the same time, Tobit’s future daughter-in-law, Sarah prays that God will take her life. She thought of ending her own life by hanging. She has been married seven times, and before she was to consummate her marriage, her husband died. In both cases, God responds to Tobit, an older man and Sarah, the young woman; but they must lift up their prayers to God. In prayer, God sends a messenger of hope and good news to both through Raphael meaning “God’s healing”. And God unfolds His own plans; Thus, He brings together the two previously unconnected victims in an unexpected way.

9^th Week in Ord. Time, Tuesday – 6^th June 2023 – Tobit 2,19-14; Mk 12,13-17

Give Generously Receive Graciously

In the first reading, Tobit, a generous and loving caretaker, develops cataracts after bird droppings fell on his eyes. Since he is not able to be the breadwinner for the family, his wife takes up weaving to support the family.  When the wife delivers her work to a customer, she is given a bonus of a young goat to be eaten. It was clearly an act of kindness to a woman who was trying to support herself and her husband. Nevertheless, Tobit does not believe that others can be generous to his family, just as Tobit had been generous before he lost his vision. He accused his wife of stealing the goat. A cynic once said that, to the pure, all things are impure. In the same way, Tobit, undoubtedly a good and very sincere person, became a victim of his own high ideals and failed to see that his own nearest and dearest deserved the same charity from others. He was uncomfortable at the receiving end of someone else’s generosity and became judgmental of his wife’s honest earnings. Unlike Tobit, not only we need to be generous givers, but also gracious receivers. God wants to give us both directly and through the kindness of other people. It is all part of God’s caring for us. The fitting response is to give thanks to God and to those who are instrumental in sharing God’s graciousness.