June 4, 2015

Reading

Tobit  6: 10- 11, 7: 1, 9- 17, 8: 4- 9

6:10 And Tobias said to him, “Where do you prefer that we stay?”

6:11 And the Angel, responding, said: “Here is one named Raguel, a man closely related to you from your tribe, and he has a daughter named Sarah, but he has no other male or female, except her.

7:1	And so they went to Raguel, and Raguel received them with gladness.

7:9 And so, after they had spoken, Raguel instructed a sheep to be killed, and a feast to be prepared. And when he exhorted them to recline for dinner,

7:10 Tobias said, “Here, today, I will not eat or drink, unless you first confirm my petition, and promise to give Sarah your daughter to me.”

7:11 When Raguel heard this word, he became afraid, knowing what had befallen those seven men, who had approached her. And he began to fear, lest it might happen to him also in the same way. And, since he wavered and gave no further response to the petition,

7:12 the Angel said to him: “Do not be afraid to give her to this one, because this one fears God. He is obliged to be joined to your daughter. Because of this, no other one could have her.”

7:13 Then Raguel said: “I do not doubt that God has admitted my prayers and tears before his sight.

7:14 And I believe, therefore, that he has caused you to come to me, so that this one might be joined in marriage to one of her own kindred, according to the law of Moses. And now, do not continue to doubt that I will give her to you.”

7:15 And taking the right hand of his daughter, he gave it into the right hand of Tobias, saying, “May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob be with you. And may he join you together in marriage and fulfill his blessing in you.”

7:16 And taking paper, they made a written record of the marriage.

7:17 And after this, they feasted, blessing God

8:4 Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and he said to her: “Sarah, get up and let us pray to God this day, and tomorrow, and the following day. For, during these three nights, we are being joined to God. And then, when the third night has passed, we ourselves will be joined together.

8:5 For certainly, we are the children of the saints, and we must not be joined together in such a manner as the heathens, who are ignorant of God.”

8:6 And so, rising up together, they both prayed earnestly, at the same time, that health might be given to them.

8:7 And Tobias said: “Lord, the God of our fathers, may the heavens and the earth bless you, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all your creatures that are in them.

8:8 You formed Adam from the mud of the earth, and you gave Eve to him as a helper.

8:9 And now, O Lord, you know that I take my sister in conjugal union, not by reason of worldly pleasure, but solely for the love of posterity, in which your name may be blessed forever and ever.”

Gospel

The Holy Gospel According to Mark     12: 28-34

12:28	And one of the scribes, who had heard them arguing, drew near to him. And seeing that he had answered them well, he questioned him as to which was the first commandment of all.
12:29	And Jesus answered him: “For the first commandment of all is this: ‘Listen, O Israel. The Lord your God is one God.
12:30	And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from your whole mind, and from your whole strength. This is the first commandment.’
12:31	But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
12:32	And the scribe said to him: Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth that there is one God, and there is no other beside him;
12:33	and that he should be loved from the whole heart, and from the whole understanding, and from the whole soul, and from the whole strength. And to love one’s neighbor as one’s self is greater than all holocausts and sacrifices.”
12:34	And Jesus, seeing that he had responded wisely, said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to question him.