Daily Bible Readings Thursday June 4 2009 Ninth Week of Ordinary Time

June 4 2009 Thursday Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day – St. Francis Caracciolo

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible for your own personal study. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/060409.shtml

Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a
Douay-Rheims Challoner
The NAB version is somewhat different

And Tobias said to him:

Where wilt thou that we lodge?

And the angel answering, said:

Here is one whose name is Raguel, a near kinsman of thy tribe, and he hath a daughter named Sara, but he hath no son nor any other daughter beside her.

And they went in to Raguel, and Raguel received them with joy. And after they had spoken, Raguel commanded a sheep to be killed, and a feast to be prepared. And when he desired them to sit down to dinner, Tobias said:

I will not eat nor drink here this day, unless thou first grant me my petition, and promise to give me Sara thy daughter.

Now when Raguel heard this he was afraid, knowing what had happened to those seven husbands, that went in unto her: and he began to fear lest it might happen to him also in like manner: and as he was in suspense, and gave no answer to his petition, The angel said to him:

Be not afraid to give her to this man, for to him who feareth God is thy daughter due to be his wife: therefore another could not have her.

Then Raguel said:

I doubt not but God hath regarded my prayers and tears in his sight. And I believe he hath therefore made you come to me, that this maid might be married to one of her own kindred, according to the law of Moses: and now doubt not but I will give her to thee.

Tobias and Sarah Wedding Night Jan Steen

And taking the right hand of his daughter, he gave it into the right hand of Tobias, saying:

The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob be with you, and may he join you together, and fulfil his blessing in you.

And taking paper they made a writing of the marriage. And afterwards they made merry, blessing God. Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her:

Sara, arise, and let us pray to God to day, and to morrow, and the next day: because for these three nights we are joined to God: and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock. For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God.

So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them. And Tobias said:

Lord God of our fathers, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee. Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth, and gavest him Eve for a helper. And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever.

Sara also said:

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, and let us grow old both together in health.

Responsorial Psalm 127:1-5 (Ps 128 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.
For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands:
blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.
Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house.
Thy children as olive plants, round about thy table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
May the Lord bless thee out of Sion:
and mayst thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 12:28-34
Haydock New Testament

And there came one of the Scribes, that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him:

The first commandment of all is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God, is one God: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other command greater than these.

And the Scribe said to him:

Well, master, thou hast said in truth, that there is one God, and there is no other besides him. And that he should be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole understanding, and with the whole soul, and with the whole strength: and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is a greater thing than all the holocausts and sacrifices.

And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him:

Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Haydock Commentary Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 10. And. Gr. “But as they approached to Rages, the angel said to the young man: Brother, to-day we shall lodge with Raguel, and he is thy relation, and he has an only daughter, by name Sara: I will propose that she may be given to thee for a wife, because the inheritance belongs to thee, and thou art the only one of her kindred.  The girl is beautiful and prudent.  Now, therefore, give ear to me, and I will speak to her father, and when we return from Rages, we will celebrate the nuptials.  For I know Raguel, that he will not give her to another man, comformably to the law of Moses, or he will incur death; because thou art entitled to the to the inheritance before any other.  Then,” &c. v. 14.  H. — The law regulated the marriages of heiresses, (Num. xxxvi. 6.) though not under pain of death.  C.
• CHAP. 7.
• Ver. 1. Joy; though as yet he only took them for Israelites.  M.  —  Gr. “and they came to the house of Raguel.  But Sara met them, and saluted them, as they did her, and she introduced them into the house.”
• Ver. 9. After. Gr. “and they gave them a cordial reception.  And they slew (sacrificed) a ram of the flock, and placed much food before them,” (H.) to shew their regard.  Gen. xviii. 6.  C. — “But Tobias said, to Raphael: Brother Azarias, mention what thou saidst to me on the road, and let the affair come to perfection.  And he explained the matter to Raguel.  And Raguel said: Eat and drink, and be merry.  It behoveth thee to have my child.  Yet I will lay the truth before thee.  I gave my child to seven husbands, and when they entered in to her, they died the very night.  For the present, therefore, be merry.  And Tobias said: I will taste nothing here, till you produce and place her before me.  And Raguel said: Take care of her henceforth, according to judgment: (H. or the law.  C.) you are brother and sister.  May then the merciful God grant you the greatest prosperity.  And he called Sara, his daughter, and she came to her father: then taking her by the hand, he gave her,” v. 15.  H. — S. Ambrose (Off. iii. 14.) reads in the same manner, (C.) and commends the candour of Raguel in disclosing the truth, though it might have prevented his daughter from marrying; (W.) a case where people allow themselves (C.) too much liberty, in concealing defects.  H.
• Ver. 14. Moses. It was not so much in force during the captivity, particularly as Raguel had only moveables; and therefore the seven former husbands had not been near relations.  M. — It was a disgrace to refuse marrying a relation, who was an heiress.  Num. xxxvi. 6.  Ruth iv. 6.  C.
• Ver. 15. Hand. This was the mode of confirming agreements, in Media.  Alex. Genial v. 3. — The custom prevailed in marriages, (Lament. v. 6.  Isai. lxii. 8.) as it does still among Christians. — It. Gr. “her for a wife to Tobias, and said: Behold: take care of her according to the law of Moses, and go to thy father.  And he blessed them.  And he called Edna, his wife, and taking a book, wrote a note, (H. or contract.  C.) and sealed it, and they began to eat.”  H. — It was almost universally the custom to have such writings, particularly where polygamy prevailed.  The wives of lower condition were taken without formality.  C.
• CHAP. 8.
• Ver. 4. Then. Gr. “and when they were shut up together, Tobias ascended the bed, (klinhV, on which it was customary to sit, (H.) or rather according to the Rom. edition, he rose from the bed) and said, Arise, sister, and let us pray, that the Lord may take pity on us.  And Tobias began to say,” v. 7.  H. — The rest is omitted.  C.
• Ver. 7. Lord. Gr. “Blessed art thou, the God of our fathers, and blessed is thy name, holy and glorious for ever.  May the heavens and all thy creatures bless thee.”  H.
• Ver. 8. Of. Gr. “And gavest him Eve for his wife, an assistant, and a support.  From these all the seed of men was formed. Thou didst say, It is not good for man to be alone: Let us make for him a helper like unto himself.  And now Lord,” &c.
• Ver. 9. Only. Gr. “for truth,” resolving to be ever faithful to her.  H. — We cannot read the pure sentiments of Tobias and Sara, brought up in the midst of infidels, without surprise.  Nothing more perfect could be required of Christians (C.) in the married state.  H. — S. Aug. (Doct. x. and xviii.) adduces this text to shew the true intent of marriage.
• Ver. 10. And.  Gr. “Order pity to be shewn me, and that I may grow old with this woman.  And she said along with him, Amen.  And they both slept the night,” probably on separate beds, v. 15.  H.

Haydock Commentary Mark 12:28-34

• Ver. 29. Literally the Lord our God is the only Lord: and this is the sense of the text in Deuteronomy vi. 4.  The word in the original text, rendered by the term Lord, is the grand name JEHOVA, which signifies properly God, considered as the supreme Being, or the author of all existence.
• Ver. 33. Venerable Bede gathers from this answer of the Scribes, that it had been long disputed among the Scribes and Pharisees, which was the greatest commandment in the law; some preferring the acts of faith and love, because many of the fathers, before the law was instituted, were pleasing to God on account of their faith and piety, and not on account of their sacrifices; yet none were agreeable to God who had not faith and charity.  This Scribe seems to have been of the opinion of those who preferred the love of God.  Ven. Bede. — The excellence of charity teacheth us that faith only is not sufficient.  B.
• Ver. 34. Being now refuted in their discourse, they no longer interrogate him, but deliver him up to the Roman power.  Thus envy may be vanquished, but with great difficulty silenced.  Ven. Bede.