Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Norbert, Bishop)
 
Proper for the Memorial of St. Norbert 
 
Biographical information about St. Norbert

“Tobit’s Wife with the Goat”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1645

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Tobit 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.
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.
 
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.
 
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!"
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.
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!"
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Commentary on Tb 2:9-14
 
This story from the Book of Tobit describes how the prophet became blind. The event would have been viewed as a punishment from God by members of the community. The once wealthy Tobit has come to a point where his wife works as a weaver. Tobit, in either his pride or his suspicion, tells his wife to give back a goat given to her as an additional payment. In her response, his wife provides the moral lesson of the story as she points out that charitable deeds and virtuous acts begin in the home.
 
"Tobit's situation parallels that of everyone who strives to be faithful. As St Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, ‘We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.’ The Vulgate version of the Bible includes after v. 10 some reflections on why Tobit should have had to suffer in this way: see the RSVCE note on p. 615." [4]
 
CCC: Tb 2:12-18 Vulg. 312
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 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.
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Commentary on Ps 112:1-2, 7-8, 9
 
This hymn of praise and thanksgiving from Psalm 112 commends the people who are faithful to the law of Moses.  The one who is blameless in the eyes of God does not fear from his community or others since the Lord is his protector.
 
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Gospel: Mark 12:13-17
 
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
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?"
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.
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Commentary on Mk 12:13-17
 
In this account (similar to Matthew 22:15-22), the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to trap Jesus by asking if people should pay taxes to Caesar. If he agrees with the Herodians (who would want the tax to be paid) he would be trapped because he was authorizing tribute to one who claimed to be a god, violating Jewish law. If he sided with the Pharisees against the Herodians, he would be in conflict with civil law and be taken before the Roman authorities.
 
“Whose image and inscription is this?” “Jesus inquires. For a moment the Master has become both art critic and archaeologist! He wants to teach these people, and all of us, how to see truly what is before us, how to make informed moral choices based on the solid evidence presented by the very nature of things rather than based on whim, prejudice, and wishful thinking.” [5]
 
Jesus saw the trap and avoided it, using the powerful argument for the separation of church and state by the famous statement: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
 
CCC: Mk 12:17 450
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Reflection:
 
Scripture today, in all three of the passages offered, points to the need for constant vigilance on our part to ensure that we are following God’s laws.  In the reading from Tobit, we find a truly applicable scenario.  Tobit has his sight taken from him in a rather disgusting fashion when birds defecate in his eyes while he is sleeping.  This, for a proud and once powerful man, must have been especially humiliating. 
 
Then, Tobit’s wife, who has been forced to work since he was deprived of his wealth in their exile to Nineveh, gets a bonus, a goat.  The prideful and condescending Tobit tells her to take it back, saying it must be stolen.  The domestic argument concludes as his wife dutifully reminds him that his acts of charity (he was certainly not charitable to her) and virtue (again his actions were not virtuous with her) should start at home.  With the exception of the type of bonus, and the source of his medical problem, this same kind of thing could have happened today.
 
In the psalm response, we hear exhortations about staying faithful to God’s law, supporting the lesson from Tobit. Finally, in the Gospel, the Lord neatly avoids a trap laid by the Pharisees and Herodians.  They confront the Lord with the seemingly innocent question: “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”  This trap places him in a no-win situation. If he sides with the Herodians (who would want the tax to be paid) he would be violating Jewish law because he was authorizing tribute to one who claimed to be a god. If he sided with the Pharisees who would be against paying the tax, he would violate civil law, and be taken before the Roman authorities. By pointing out that it was coin of the earthly kingdom being used to pay the tax, he avoids both camps.  He uses the law, both civil and Mosaic, to provide a reasonable solution.
 
Yes, today we are called to follow God’s law at home and at work or school or in our social environment.  It should be constantly before us because by our scrupulous adherence to it we identify ourselves as Christian, further spreading the word through our actions.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used is “Tobit’s Wife with the Goat” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1645.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Navarre Bible: Chronicles-Maccabees, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 308.
[5] Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume III, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2012 p. 546.