Thanksgiving and Surrender

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that thanksgiving and surrender activate our charity and generosity to others.

Action and Help

In the reading from the Book of Tobit, Raphael discloses his identity.

* [12:1–5] Tobit and his son generously agree to give Raphael far more than the wages agreed upon in 5:15–16.

* [12:6–10] In the fashion of a wisdom teacher, Raphael gives the two men a short exhortation similar to the one Tobit gave his son in 4:3–19.

* [12:6–7] The faithful considered the praise of God their most esteemed privilege. Without it, life was meaningless; cf. Is 38:16–20.

* [12:12] Raphael is one of the seven Angels of the Presence, specially designated intercessors who present prayers to God. Angelology was developing in this period. The names of two other of these seven angels are given in the Bible: Gabriel (Dn 8:16; 9:21; Lk 1:19, 26) and Michael (Dn 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev 12:7). See 1 Enoch for the names of the rest. (Tobit, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)

Tobit offers thanksgiving to God.

* [13:1–18] Tobit’s hymn of praise is divided into two parts. The first part (vv. 1–8) is a song of praise that echoes themes from the psalms; the second (vv. 9–18) is addressed to Jerusalem in the style of those prophets who spoke of a new and ideal Jerusalem (Is 60; cf. Rev 21). Joyful praise: words for joy and gladness occur throughout this prayer (vv. 1, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18). (Tobit, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus denounces the Scribes  and praises the Widow’s Offering.

* [21:1–4] The widow is another example of the poor ones in this gospel whose detachment from material possessions and dependence on God leads to their blessedness (Lk 6:20). Her simple offering provides a striking contrast to the pride and pretentiousness of the scribes denounced in the preceding section (Lk 20:45–47). The story is taken from Mk 12:41–44. (Mark, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)

Suzanne Braddock (2021) comments  that Jesus raises up as our model for giving from the heart the lowly, the outcast, the despised, the overlooked in the form of a poor widow.

Surely he doesn’t expect us to donate every penny, thus impoverishing ourselves. He has set a high standard to make a point, to reveal a truth. And that point seems to me to be not to give ostentatiously, for show, but give all of yourself. Give with love. Give even the little things with great love, as St. Therese said. We are to love God with our whole heart, our whole soul, our whole mind. All that we are.

God wants to give us all of Himself, and yearns for us to give all of ourselves in grateful response.

Let’s challenge ourselves to meet God’s generosity with our own. (Braddock, 2021)

Don Schwager quotes “Mercy and compassion are never worthless,” by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.

"Although the spite of some people does not grow gentle with any kindness, nevertheless the works of mercy are not fruitless, and kindness never loses what is offered to the ungrateful. May no one, dearly beloved, make themselves strangers to good works. Let no one claim that his poverty scarcely sufficed for himself and could not help another. What is offered from a little is great, and in the scale of divine justice, the quantity of gifts is not measured but the steadfastness of souls. The 'widow' in the Gospel put two coins into the 'treasury,' and this surpassed the gifts of all the rich. No mercy is worthless before God. No compassion is fruitless. He has given different resources to human beings, but he does not ask different affections." (excerpt from SERMON 20.3.1.6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20 comments that Tobit, Sarah, and Tobias all blessed God because they never lost sight of how great and merciful God is. They clung to their belief in his goodness and his desire to bless them. So even in the most difficult circumstances, they could praise God.

This kind of prayer doesn’t always come easy. But it’s not impossible—as long as you remain rooted and grounded in your faith. Praising God on the good days makes it possible to praise him even on the rough ones.

Because God is good—all the time!

“Lord, I praise you for your unfailing kindness and mercy to me and those I love.” (Meditation on Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Raphael identifies himself as on of the seven archangels who stand before God. The Scribes and Pharisees seek to be honoured at the centre of attention. Friar Jude notes the woman from the anawim who give all that she has to the treasury.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, invites us into a deeper experience of the Trinity through a conscious and embodied practice of the Sign of the Cross.

Let the sign of the cross be a body prayer for the rest of your life. We can’t understand it, we can only allow it. We can only allow that flow, that communion, that energy, that dynamism, that vitality, that love. We’ll know when we’re there and I hope we can recognize when we’re not there. That’s how we’ll know when we’re living in the Trinity or acting as a separate you and me, standing on the side of life, instead of living it. (Rohr, 2023)

We seek to  act on the guidance of the Spirit in our thanksgiving and response to the needs of others.

References

Braddock, S. (2021, June 5). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/061023.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/12?38 

Meditation on Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/06/10/703631/ 

Rohr, R. (2023, June 10). Trinity: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Daily Meditations Archive: 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/trinity-weekly-summary-2023-06-10/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). This Poor Widow Has Put in More Than the Rest. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=jun10 

Tobit, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/12?1 

Tobit, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/13?2 

Life in Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to strive for the depth of love expressed by Jesus' life that brings fullness of life.

Family and Love

The reading from the Book of Tobit describes the marriage of Tobiah and Sarah.

* [7:11] You are her brother, and she is your sister: the marriage formula is similar to a marriage contract from the fifth century B.C. found at Elephantine in Egypt: “She is my wife and I am her husband from this day forever.” (Tobit, CHAPTER 7, n.d.)

Psalm 128 praises the Happy Home of the Faithful.

* [Psalm 128] A statement that the ever-reliable God will bless the reverent (Ps 128:1). God’s blessing is concrete: satisfaction and prosperity, a fertile spouse and abundant children (Ps 128:2–4). The perspective is that of the adult male, ordinarily the ruler and representative of the household to the community. The last verses extend the blessing to all the people for generations to come (Ps 128:5–6). (Psalms, PSALM 128, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus presents the First Commandment.

* [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).

* [12:28–34] See note on Mt 22:34–40. (Mark, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)

Barbara Dilly comments that this multidimensional love triangle not only brings the Kingdom of God nearer, God-centered love brings personal fulfillment and happiness.

It takes most of us, however, a long time to realize that the heavenly bliss we often feel from romantic love is not so heavenly after all.  Experiencing the Kingdom of God in relationships brings a much higher level of fulfillment than romantic love, often based on lust.  It takes greater commitments than just those recited in most marriage vows.  It involves holding oneself to much higher standards of love at many more levels, including a more enlightened love of self.   Enlightened self-love takes time to understand and to put into practice.   If done well, we develop it in God centered relationships with others.   It is my prayer today that all those who are getting married and those of us who are celebrating with them will make the commitment to grow in the kind of love Jesus tells us today is what will bring us and those around us closer to each other and to God. (Dilly, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “Love God with one's whole self,” by Gregory of Nyssa, 330-395 AD.

"Human life consists in a threefold unity. We are taught similarly by the apostle in what he says to the Ephesians, praying for them that the complete grace of their 'body and soul and spirit' may be preserved at the coming of the Lord. We use the word 'body,' for the nutritive part, the word for the vital, 'soul,' and the word 'spirit' for the intellective dimension. In just this way the Lord instructs the writer of the Gospel that he should set before every commandment that love to God which is exercised with all the heart and soul and mind (Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27). This single phrase embraces the human whole: the corporeal heart, the mind as the higher intellectual and mental nature, and the soul as their mediator." (excerpt from ON THE MAKING OF MAN 8.5.10) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 12:28-34 asks how can we love God and each other with everything in the busyness of life?

It might seem like a tall order to love God with everything you are and to love your neighbor as yourself. But as you take small steps to turn to him throughout your day, you might find that it’s not quite as complicated as it seems.

“Lord, help me to bring my whole—and holy—self to the people and tasks in my day. I trust in you.” (Meditation on Mark 12:28-34, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the story of Raphael accompanying Tobiah and the Levirate marriage custom that calls on him to marry Sarah even as her seven previous husbands have died. Jesus adds loving with our whole mind, possibly conscience, to the Shema formula that introduces the Great Commandment in Deuteronomy. Friar Jude reminds us that the scribe realizes the truth of the essential requirement to love God and neighbour.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Theologian Elizabeth Johnson (born 1941) who explores what each person in the Trinity offers to us in our experience of the world and why it matters.

God is God as Spirit-Sophia, the mobile, pure, people-loving Spirit who pervades every wretched corner, wailing at the waste, releasing power that enables fresh starts. Her energy quickens the earth to life, her beauty shines in the stars, her strength breaks forth in every fragment of shalom and renewal….

God is God again as Jesus Christ, Sophia’s child and prophet, and yes, Sophia herself personally pitching her tent in the flesh of humanity to teach the paths of justice. The shape of the historical life of this crucified prophet, risen from the dead, reveals the shape of Holy Wisdom’s love for the world. It is a love that enters in and takes part, that revels at the feasting of outcasts in inclusive table community…. 

God is God again as unimaginable abyss of livingness….

 

And this is an absolutely holy mystery of love, bent on the world’s healing and liberation through all of history’s reversals and defeats. (Rohr, 2023)

We have the Spirit to guide our compliance to laws and customs so that love of God and neighbour is always our primary mission.

References

Dilly, B. (2023, June 8). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/060823.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/12?28 

Meditation on Mark 12:28-34. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/06/08/702182/ 

Psalms, PSALM 128. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/128?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, June 8). The Trinity Is with and for the World. Daily Meditations Archive: 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-trinity-is-with-and-for-the-world-2023-06-08/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Love the Lord with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=jun8 

Tobit, CHAPTER 7. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/7