6/3/2013 - Monday of 9th week in ordinary time - Tobit 1:3, 2-1A-8

      For the last couple of weeks, we heard first readings in our daily masses that came from the book a Sirach, which contains teachings from the tradition of wisdom literature that was popular in the Ancient Mediterranean world.  Today, we start hearing a series of readings from the book of Tobit.  Both Sirach and Tobit come from the Old Testament and are Deuterocanonical books, meaning that they are included in the Catholic Bible but they are excluded from Protestant versions of Sacred Scripture.  It is believed that Tobit was written in the 2^nd century BCE.

         Tobit describes himself as a righteous man.  He shows his righteousness by wanting to invite the poor to share a meal at his table and by wanting to bury the dead.  Burying the dead had previously brought his to this land of exile; now, he could be facing even worse consequences, so he is mocked and warned by his neighbors.

         Sometimes doing the right thing according to our faith is not what is right in the eyes of many people in our society.  Sometimes being righteous and adhering to the laws of God can be contrary to the laws of man.  We know that from the very first passages of this book, that we are going to be taught a moral lesson by the way Tobit tries to be righteous in living out his faith in the face of suffering and adversity.

         When you think about, it both big and little ways, we are tested in our faith many times.  Being in solidarity with the poor and the outcasts in society may have dire consequences for us.  But, we are called to live out our faith in that same spirit of holiness, solidarity, and righteousness that Tobit tries to follow in life.  May the Lord help us to stay on this path of steadfastness and righteousness.