By Beth DeCristofaro
Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife, “My love, get
up. Let us pray and beg our Lord to have
mercy on us and to grant us deliverance.”
She got up, and they started to pray and beg that deliverance might be
theirs. (Tobit 8:4-5)
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are
right in saying, ‘He is One and there
is no other than he. And to
love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your
strength, and to love your
neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and
sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he
answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom
of God.” (Mark 32-34)
Piety
Deliver me and have
mercy on me, Lord God of all life.
Deliver and lead me in loving as I seek to build in my own small way
your Kingdom here on earth.
Study
The tale of Tobit and
his family is full of dysfunction, isolation, mayhem, blaming and
desperation. But it is also a tale of a
family which hopes and which has confidence that the God in whom they firmly
believe will deliver them from all evil.
It is a story of a family who shows loving care and concern for each
other in spite of persecution. These are
people who turn to God in times of trial with the expectation that as God’s
kinsmen the respect with which they deal with each other emulates God’s
covenantal involvement.
Jesus’ answer to the
scribe leaves everyone speechless probably in confusion as well as awe. How do we know how to love when we are so
wrapped up in judging and categorizing?
If we indeed put God at the center then the love flows. If we open ourselves to be constantly in
God’s love, even if our own perceptions are dulled, then we can trust that God
will show us the way despite murderous demons or spiteful neighbors. Love will flow from love. Sarah and Tobiah brought their dependence and
deep faith in God with them into the wedding chamber. As Jesus told the scribe, they were close to
the Kingdom.
Action
If we feel anxious, fearful,
hungry, hurt or angry might we practice exploring those feelings for where God is
and find His power and grace within us? It is God’s grace which fills and
animates. We can turn our own demons
over to God’s transforming grace. It is
hard yet sacred work to love God with your all and others as your own, beloved,
self.
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