Tuesday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time

READINGS

Reading 1 Tb 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!"

REFLECTION

WHO IS OUR VOICE OF TRUTH?

My Mom and my Grandmother were my "voices of truth." My mom would always tell me things like she saw them. It could be, "Mary, could you have been kinder to that person?" Or "Mary, I don't like that young man, don't date him." Or "Mary, watch the boys, their friends are kind of wild." Mother always told me the truth and made me look at myself or situations so I could make better choices. Whereas my Grandmother would share words of wisdom like, "Beauty is as beauty does." Her messages also helped me to look within myself.

In the readings today, Tobit, the Pharisees, and Herodians encounter their "Voice of Truth." In the first reading, Tobit was blinded with cataracts for four years His wife Anna became the breadwinner for the family. Her employers wanted to give her a bonus with her wages. Tobit got angry about Anna accepting the goat. He thought it might have been stolen. Anna responded to his irate behavior by saying, "Where are you virtuous deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!" Anna was telling Tobit the truth about himself. His anger (about his situation) blinded him from being charitable.

In the Gospel, Jesus, also, makes the Pharisees and Herodians look at themselves and their motives. They wanted to trap Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus speaks the truth and turns the tables on them. He asks them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They replied, "Caesar's." Jesus says, "Repay Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." They left realizing that Jesus spoke the truth.

The Holy Spirit is the Truth and He guides us and helps us to truly see ourselves. Often He speaks His truth through others like my Mom, Grandma, Anna, Tobit"s wife. We must open our minds and hearts to the Truth. The Truth will guide, protect us and give us an honest look at ourselves.

Come Holy Spirit Come. Let us listen to The Voice of Truth, the Holy Spirit.