Tuesday, June 04, 2013

 

MEMORIAL, SAINT BONIFACE, BISHOP AND MARTYR

JUNE 5, 2013
MEMORIAL, SAINT BONIFACE, BISHOP AND MARTYR
WEDNESDAY 9TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YR I

Tb 3:1-11,16 / Ps 25: 2-3. 4-5ab. 6 and 7bc. 8-9/ Mk 12:18-27

Tobit 3:1-11,16
Distressed, I wept and prayed and expressing my sorrow, I said, "You are just, O Lord; all your actions and all your ways are merciful and just; your judgments are always true and just. Remember me, Lord, and look on me. Do not punish me for my sins nor for the wrongs I have committed through ignorance. Pardon the sins which my fathers have committed in your sight, for they disobeyed your commandments. You have allowed us to suffer pillage, captivity and death. You have allowed us to be mocked by all the pagan nations among whom we have been dispersed. Ah well! All your judgments are just when you choose to punish me for my sins and those of my fathers, because we have not accomplished your will, nor have we sincerely obeyed your commands. We have not walked before you in truth. Do with me as you will. Order my life taken from me, and turn me into dust, because I prefer death to life. In this way free me and let me return to dust. It is better for me to die than to live, because these unjust reproaches have caused me great distress. Command that I be now released from trials, and let me enter my eternal dwelling place. Do not turn your face away from me." That same day, at Ecbatana in Media, Sara, the daughter of Ragouel, was insulted in a similar way by her father's young maidservants. Sara had had seven husbands, but the demon Asmodeus had killed each one of them before the marriage had been consummated. The maidservants said, "It was you who killed your husbands. You have had seven husbands and you have not enjoyed marital relationship with any of them. Why do you punish us? Since they are dead, go and join them. May we never see a son or daughter of yours!" That same day Sara was so distressed in mind that she went to the upper room in her father's house. She wished to hang herself. But she thought better of it and said: "If people ever reproached my father and said to him: `You had an only daughter whom you cherished and she hanged herself because she was unhappy,' I would cause my father in his old age to die of grief. It is better for me not to hang myself but to ask the Lord that I may die and not live to hear any more insults." At that moment she stretched forth her hands towards the window and prayed, saying, "You are blessed, O Lord my God, and blessed is your holy and glorious Name throughout the ages. May all your works praise you forever. The Lord in his glory heard the prayer of Tobit and of Sara.

Mark 12:18-27
The Sadducees also came to Jesus. Since they claim that there is no resurrection, they questioned him in this way, "Master, in the Scriptures Moses gave us this law: If anyone dies and leaves a wife but no children, his brother must take the woman, and with her have a baby, who will be considered the child of his deceased brother. Now, there were seven brothers. The first married a wife, but he died without leaving any children. The second took the wife, and he also died leaving no children. The same thing happened to the third. In fact, all seven brothers died, leaving no children. Last of all, the woman died. Now, in the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife? For all seven brothers had her as wife." Jesus replied, "Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry, but are like the angels in heaven. Now, about the resurrection of the dead, have you never had thoughts about the burning bush in the book of Moses? God said to Moses: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He is the God not of the dead but of the living. You are totally wrong."

REFLECTION
In today's readings, Tobit's family and that of Sarah's are destined to be linked. God heals their pain and rescues them. Not only has Tobit been exiled to Assyria with other Israelites, but he also suffers what seemed to be a cruel and unjust accident. Sarah's suffering is that she has married seven husbands, but a demon has slain each of them on their wedding night. She has to bear the pain and shame of this, and, like Tobit, wishes to die. But again, like Tobit, her faith in God does not waver.

We can all take heart from the stories of Tobit and Sarah. Like all of us, they had suffering and struggle to go through in their lives. But they never lost faith in God's loving providence and their faith was eventually rewarded.

It is easy for us to give way to despair in times of trouble. We may see no way out of our problems and God may seem absent when we most need him. This is when we need to proclaim our faith that God loves us, cares for us, and wants to help us in our suffering. Something good can come out of misfortunes in ways that we cannot foresee. God hears our prayers for help, just as he heard those of Tobit and Sarah. He may not seem to answer at once or in the way that we would like him to answer our prayers, but we can be sure that He hears us and loves us.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Elizabeth Lim
- Pilar David, Ditas dela Paz, Toots Monfort, Virginia Hernandez, Mon Torres, and Fleur Torres
- NIck Lucena
- Auring Malabayabas
… for the personal intentions of
- Glenn Dale B. Manzon & Julie Manzon
- Beny Chua
- Marella Quicho
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Lilia Yang
- Serafina Falcon
- Amparo Suntay
Eternal rest grant unto them and may perpetual light shine upon them. May they and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Flor Sarmiento
- Birthday: Boniface Htwai Aung
- Wedding Anniversary: Eric & Cynthia Gale
- Wedding Anniversary: Patrick & Cristy Chin
- Wedding Anniversary: Wilson Lim & Estela Lim
- Thanksgiving: Anie, Leanne, Mike, Airel & Lenie
- In Memoriam (+): Mr. Emmanuel Luy
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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