Become the Cornerstone

June 1, 2009

Memorial of Saint Justin, martyr,
Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

The table was set for me, and when many different dishes were placed before me, I said to my son Tobiah: "My son, go out and try to find a poor man from among our kinsmen exiled here in Nineveh. If he is a sincere worshiper of God, bring him back with you, so that he can share this meal with me. Indeed, son, I shall wait for you to come back." Tobiah went out to look for some poor kinsman of ours. When he returned he exclaimed, "Father!" I said to him, "What is it, son?" He answered, "Father, one of our people has been murdered! His body lies in the market place where he was just strangled!" I sprang to my feet, leaving the dinner untouched; and I carried the dead man from the street and put him in one of the rooms, so that I might bury him after sunset. Tobit 2:2-4

"Have you not read this scripture passage: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes'?" Mark 12:10-11

Piety

May all people respond generously to the ministry of Food for the Poor and other local or international relief organizations allowing us, through these charities, to provide relief to the poor in third world countries or to the poor right outside our doors in the same spirit shown to us by Tobit.

Study

How do we treat our neighbors? On Sunday, Fr. Thomas Boutrie preached at our parish about his ministry with the organization Food for the Poor (www.foodforthepoor.org). According to Fr. Tom, Food for the Poor is the number one international relief and development charity in the United States, feeding 2 million poor people everyday. Its Christian relief services are helping children and the poorest of the poor by providing food, housing, health care, education, water projects, emergency relief and micro-enterprise assistance in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Fr. Tom shared what he has witnessed in places like Haiti where people will literally eat a paste made of mud because they have no food, or live in slums as large as six football fields, or take turns eating because their families do not have enough food for everyone.

Today’s readings show us two responses to the works of mercy. Tobit’s main concern was for others. He voluntarily risked his life to bury the dead and invited the homeless and hungry to share in his food. The workers in the vineyard, however, were self-centered and more concerned with protecting themselves and stealing the inheritance, so they beat up three messengers and then killed their landlord’s son.

Action

We never know how the Lord will put himself into our lives. Maybe it is through our landlord or the visiting preacher. However, our job is to respond as if it is the Lord himself. “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Considering making a gift to Food for the Poor or buying some of the greeting cards they offer for sale on the internet.