7 June 2017

Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

The book of Tobit lays before us two examples of how to pray to the Lord in times of distress. In both the case of blind Tobit and that of insulted Sarah, they acknowledge the goodness of God despite their sufferings. In the case of Sarah, she also considers how her actions have effects on more than just her. Having suffered the loss of previous husbands, one of Sarah’s maids throws the tragedy in her face and says that she hopes that Sarah never has any children. Hurt by this, Sarah’s grief only increases, and she contemplates suicide. Remembering her father, however, and the impact that the taking of her life would have upon him, she entrusts herself to the Lord instead. Both Sarah and Tobit ask the Lord to take them away from the injustices they experience in this life.The just ask to be freed from this life, but instead God grants them a justice that is greater than the release death might bring.

In the Gospel, Jesus seeks to correct the Sadducees who think that this life is the only place justice is to be found. Instead, Our Lord teaches them the truth of the Scriptures: “He is not God of the dead but of the living.” ( Mark 12:27) For those who seek justice, Jesus proclaims that God plans for the fulness of justice to be found in the resurrection after death. May the Spirit of the Risen Lord teach us that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that God has in store for us. May we then consider not so much what happens to us now, but to Whom we belong right now, and how we can serve Him.