9th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, June 9
Tobit 11:5-17 / Mark 12:35-37
Tobit's blindness is cured; Tobit gave thanks to God.
Byron Dell grew up on a farm in Nebraska. When he was eight years old, he had a pony named Frisky, who sometimes lived up to its name. One morning when Byron was getting the cows, Frisky became frightened and bolted off at breakneck speed. Holding on for dear life, Byron remained unhurt. That night Byron's father accompanied him upstairs to bed and asked his son to kneel with him and thank God that he was not hurt. That incident took place 55 years ago, and Byron has never forgotten it. It inspired him to make prayer a regular part of his daily life.
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Do we thank God for things? Do we share our faith with others, especially our own family members? "As you received Christ. walk in him . . . abounding in thanksgiving." Col 2:6-7
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Saint Ephrem
Feast day June 9
Ephrem was born about 306 in a land that is today called Turkey. He was ordained a deacon and became a well-known teacher. Years later, his bishop suggested that Ephrem be a priest. Ephrem begged the bishop to allow him to stay a deacon because he thought he was not good enough to be a priest.
When the Persian army conquered his homeland, Ephrem escaped to the
mountains and lived as a monk alone in a cave. People came to listen to him and
ask for help with their problems. At this time, Ephrem did a lot of writing.
His homilies were popular, as were his religious poems. He also took the songs
that heretics were teaching and changed the words to teach the truths of the
Catholic faith. Ephrem was one of the first to write songs for the liturgy of
the Church.
He has been called “Harp of the Holy Spirit.” Quite a few of his
homilies and hymns are devoted to Mary, the Mother of God. Ephrem died about
373. The Church later named him a Doctor of the Church.
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Tobias means "God is good. " To
teach us this, is the aim of the book. God is good to those who are faithful to
him. The author adds here a number of joyful outcomes, every one of which could
bring tears to our eyes if we are not yet too sophisticated to have banned
tears of joy from our life. There is the joy of a mother who sees her long-absent, but eagerly awaited son. There is the gratitude of a father whose
vision is restored and who sees him "who is the light of his eyes".
There is a great amount of silver received back from a defaulting debtor. There
is the happy marriage of a son who deserved a good wife; there is the father
who is impatient to see his daughter-in-law, whose newly restored vision makes
him able to set out and meet her; there is the grand wedding feast to which all
the Jews of Nineveh were invited as guests. There is great joy in the seven
prayers of l; the book. "To them that love God all things work together
unto good"
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The piety of old Tobias and the endurance in
his suffering are finally rewarded. In God’s name, the angel Raphael, whose
name means “God heals,” cures Tobias from his blindness.
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Using a rabbinic form of argumentation, Jesus
states that he is more than a descendant of David. No king would have addressed
his son as Lord. The Savior is more than a human being. Early Christianity
understood this title of “Son” and “Lord” in the divine sense.
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Time and again, the Pharisees have asked
Jesus difficult questions. Now it is he who puts before them a problem. All
know that scripture says that the Messiah will be a descendant of David. Now
Psalm 110 is written by David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. All know
and accept that this psalm is referring to the Messiah. In this psalm, David
calls his descendant his Lord. The Pharisees cannot answer it. This psalm can
only be understood in the same spirit that inspired it. How can he be his son
and his Lord? He sits at the right hand of God the Father, because he is his
equal. He will have dominion over all his enemies. They will be his footstool.
The Pharisees could not answer. They were silenced. The people who witnessed
this dispute were delighted.
