June 4, 2013

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Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 354

Reading 1TB 2:9-14

On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead,
I, Tobit, went into my courtyard
to sleep next to the courtyard wall.
My face was uncovered because of the heat.
I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me,
till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts.

After doing a good deed, Tobit's faith was tested.  Because as he laid down to rest, he fell asleep and bird droppings fell unto his eyes, causing blindness.

I went to see some doctors for a cure
but the more they anointed my eyes with various salves,
the worse the cataracts became,
until I could see no more.
For four years I was deprived of eyesight, and
all my kinsmen were grieved at my condition.
Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years,
until he left for Elymais.

His friends were sorry for him.  And one, in particular, Ahiqar, took care of him until he left for another town.

At that time, my wife Anna worked for hire
at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do.
When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her.
Late in winter on the seventh of Dystrus,
she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners.
They paid her the full salary
and also gave her a young goat for the table.
On entering my house the goat began to bleat.

At that point, Anna, his wife, took over the role of supporting the family.  Weaving cloth and selling it.  One of the store owners paid her partly with money and also with a goat.

I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from?
Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners;
we have no right to eat stolen food!”

Upon hearing the goat, Tobit accused his wife of stealing and ordered her to return it.

She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.”
Yet I would not believe her,
and told her to give it back to its owners.

When she denied it was stolen, Tobit insisted and would not believe her.  

I became very angry with her over this.
So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now?
Where are your virtuous acts?
See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”

And then his wife rightfully pointed out that he was reflecting upon her, his own sinful thoughts.

Responsorial PsalmPS 112:1-2, 7-8, 9

R. (see 7c) The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

The righteous man loves his fellow man and gives generously from the heart to all who are in need.

GospelMK 12:13-17

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent

to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.

Pharisees are men learned in Jewish law.  And Herodians are sons of Herod by his many wives whom he placed in priestly positions.  The Pharisees, Herodians and Saduccees all sought to ruin Jesus.

They came and said to him,

“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man

and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.

You do not regard a person’s status

but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?

Should we pay or should we not pay?”

They tried to entrap Jesus with a question about the census tax.  They asked whether it was right to pay a tax to Caesar, seeing as they are Jews and did not recognize the authority of Rome.  Therefore, they wanted to know if they should pay any tax to Rome.

Of course, they expected a yes or no answer to their question.  If Jesus answered, "Yes, you must pay the tax."  They hoped the Jews would be angered with Him and leave Him.  If Jesus answered, "No."  They would report Him to the Romans as an insurrectionist.

But Jesus turned the tables on them.  

Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,

“Why are you testing me?

Bring me a denarius to look at.”

They brought one to him and he said to them,

“Whose image and inscription is this?”

They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”

So Jesus said to them,

“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar

and to God what belongs to God.”

They were utterly amazed at him.

When I heard this answer, I was also utterly amazed.  But it wasn't until many years later that the full import of the words were explained to me.  

Of course, the coin bears the image of Caesar.  But when Jesus says, "repay to God what is God's."  He is reminding the Pharisees and Herodians that we are made in God's image and that we must give ourselves to Him as those who use the Roman coins must give to Caesar his coins.

Furthermore, the Romans would not have authority over the Jews if the Jews had obeyed God.  The reason the Jews were under the subjugation of the Romans was because the curse of their disobedience had been put into effect.  Namely:

Deuteronomy 28:43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. 44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

And so, Jesus turned the tables on them.