The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with our experience of Love that reinforces our sense of eternal life.
The reading from the Book of Tobit is an answer to Prayer.
* [3:1] Pray: prayer is a significant theme, occurring at six major turning points in the story (3:2–6, 11–15; 8:5–8, 15–17; 11:14–15; 13:1–18).
* [3:6] It is better for me to die than to live: in his distress Tobit uses the words of the petulant Jonah (Jon 4:3, 8), who wished to die because God did not destroy the hated Ninevites. In similar circumstances, Moses (Nm 11:15), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:4), and Job (Jb 7:15) also prayed for death. Everlasting abode: a reference to Sheol, the dismal abode of the dead from which no one returns (Jb 7:9–10; 14:12; Is 26:14). See note on Tb 4:6.
* [3:7] From here on, the story is told in the third person. Verse 7 relates one of the several marvelous coincidences that the storyteller uses to suggest divine providence; see also vv. 16–17; 4:1; 5:4. Ecbatana: Hamadan in modern Iran; this was the capital of ancient Media. Raguel: the Greek form of the Hebrew name Re‘u’el, “friend of God.”
* [3:8] Asmodeus: in Persian aeshma daeva, “demon of wrath,” adopted into Aramaic with the sense of “the Destroyer.” It will be subdued (8:3) by Raphael (v. 17), whose name means “God has healed.”
* [3:11] Toward the window: that is, looking in prayer toward Jerusalem; cf. Dn 6:11. “Blessed are you” and “Blessed be God” are traditional openings of Jewish prayers (Tb 8:5, 15; 11:14; 13:1). (Tobit, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)
Psalm 25 is a prayer for Guidance and for Deliverance.
11-13, 15b-17a
* [Psalm 25] A lament. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Such acrostic Psalms are often a series of statements only loosely connected. The psalmist mixes ardent pleas (Ps 25:1–2, 16–22) with expressions of confidence in God who forgives and guides. (Psalms, PSALM 25, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus addresses the Question about the Resurrection.
* [12:13–34] In the ensuing conflicts (cf. also Mk 2:1–3:6) Jesus vanquishes his adversaries by his responses to their questions and reduces them to silence (Mk 12:34).
* [12:18–27] See note on Mt 22:23–33. (Mark, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)
Larry Gillick, S.J. (1999) comments that Tobiah and Sarah begin their togethering by including the love of God in their love for each other.
Weddings are so beautiful when they begin with the prayer of trust in the God Who has called them together. Anniversaries are perhaps even more beautiful as the married couple recall the fidelity of God they have revealed in their living of their own commitment. The daily Christian life is beautiful as well when we all live the greatest of all His commandments by allowing God to love us in such a way that we can love the same self God does. When this spiritual interchange takes place the marriage of God with us God's people takes place and is experienced by our brothers and sisters with whom we share our living out of this great command to love in word and deed. In the words of Tobiah, "This is a noble purpose." (Gillick, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “No marriage in the resurrection,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"What did the Lord say to the Sadducees? He said, 'You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God. For in the resurrection they marry neither husbands nor wives; for neither do they start dying again, but they will be equal to the angels of God' (Mark 12:24-25; Matthew 22:29-30). The power of God is great. Why do they not marry husbands or wives? They will not start dying again. When one generation departs, another is required to succeed it. There will not be such liability to decay in that place. The Lord passed through the usual stages of growth, from infancy to adult manhood, because he was bearing the substance of flesh that still was mortal. After he had risen again at the age at which he was buried, are we to imagine that he is growing old in heaven? He says, 'They will be equal to the angels of God.' He eliminated the assumption of the Jews and refuted the objection of the Sadducees, because the Jews did indeed believe the dead would rise again, but they had crude, fleshly ideas about the state of humanity after resurrection. He said, 'They will be equal to the angels of God.' ... It has already been stated that we are to rise again. We have heard from the Lord that we rise again to the life of the angels. In his own resurrection, he has shown us in what specific form we are to rise again." (excerpt from SERMON 362.18-19.30) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 12:18-27 comments that God created us to love one another and to be in communion with one another. So why shouldn’t that love continue on in some form after death?
There’s no need to worry about whether your close relationships will disappear in heaven. In fact, these relationships will be perfected. You’ll experience the ultimate form of togetherness—a union in worship founded in the eternal, overflowing love of God. It doesn’t get any better than that! So thank the Lord that he has such an amazing plan for you—and for those who are dearest to you.
“Lord, I am longing for the day when my loved ones and I will be together in your presence!” (Mark 12:18-27, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the state of mind of Tobit and Sarah prior to the healing they receive through “God heels” Raphael. The concept of being punished for the sins of our ancestors was believed by survivors of exile. Friar Jude reminds us that Abraham, Isaac, and Israel exist in some realm connected to the God of the living.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, uses the language of “flow” to further our experiential understanding of what it means to live in a Trinitarian cosmos.
You can live this Trinitarian mystery yourself. Trust love, trust communion, trust vulnerability, and trust mutuality. Always seek to be in relationship, finding little ways to serve others, to serve people who are sick or poor and cannot pay anything back. Know that our hearts have been given to us so that they may be handed on, just like the Trinity. And we’ll begin to know ourselves inside this mystery called Love. There is actually nothing more to say. We could end our discussion right here.
Don’t try to work this out too much with your head. Just trust the flow of the most natural, dynamic, and positive energy that’s already flowing through you. It will always feel like Love. (Rohr, 2023)
We have the gifts of the Spirit to reinforce our commitment to acting in Love as our “yes” to community and care for each other.
References
Gillick, L. (2023, June 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/060723.html
Mark 12:18-27. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/06/07/701595/
Mark, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/12?18
Psalms, PSALM 25. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/25?2
Rohr, R. (2023, June 7). Living in the Flow — Center for Action and Contemplation. Cac.org. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/living-in-the-flow-2023-06-07/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). You Know Neither the Scriptures nor the Power of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=jun7
Tobit, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/3?1
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