Monday June 1, 2009 of the 9th wek in Ordinary Time

Monday June 1, 2009 of Pentecost Week

Readings: Tobit : 1-3; 2: 1a-8 Psalm 112: 1b-6 Mark 11: 27-33
Response: “Blessed the man who fears the Lord”

Tobit is one of the Books of the Bible which was relegated to Apophrical status by the reformers. It was contained in the canon of the Septuagint (LXX), a 3rd Century BC rendition of the Hebrew books, by the Greek King of Egypt, Ptolemy, when he decided to include Hebrew literature in the famous Alexandrian Library.
Later, (1st Century) Jewish religious leaders developed criteria whereby ancient writings would be admitted to the Hebrew texts. At the time, the book of Tobit was available only in the Greek rendition. Therefore, it was denied authenticity. Later, Protestant Bibles also left these books out of their canon even though, by reference, Jesus and the Apostle Paul used quotes from Tobit and other Apophrical books, lending credence to their inspiration by the Holy Spirit.
Tobit was a holy man who, during the exile of the northern Jewish tribes, was in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria in the 7th Century BC. The practice of burying dead Jews during the exile was looked on by the Assyrians as a recognition of the Tradition of the Jewish people and was usually denied them under pain of execution.
Tobit, an honorable Jew, defied the Assyrian edict and attempted to do the honorable thing by burying bodies in accordance with their tradition.
He, thus, put his life in danger every time he did so.
We do not regard interment as dishonorable but have ventured into formerly forbidden practices of cremation. Although sanctioned by the Church, nevertheless, the preference, except in case of plague or disease proliferation, is burial.

The psalm response is a confirmation of Tobit’s action on behalf of his neighbors. Tobit wasn’t afraid of God but he honored God’s traditions and commandments as mandatory, not suggestions.

The Gospel story continues the theme of denial of religious civic leaders when their edicts deny our consciences. When the scribes who challenged Jesus about His authority, He befuddled them with a practical question. No matter their answer, they were at a loss how to respond.
The fact of His many cures and instances of inexplicable actions should have shown them the manifestation of God’s sanctions of His actions.
We are in the same boat when we question the authority of our Church. It was given to the Apostles and their successors by Christ.
When some people ask where the Church got its authority we may not be as clever as Christ but we can, because we believe, comfortably say, “From Him!”