November 11, 2007: Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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November 11, 2007: Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 10, 2007

My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition

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Attention Getter

Down in a "Bible belt" diocese, the bishop assigns a priest to the only parish in a small town, where the only other religious congregation is one headed by a notoriously anti-Catholic Fundamentalist preacher.

The priest decides that he is going to ignore the preacher's ill will and try to befriend him. Hearing that the preacher loves to hunt for ducks -- as does the priest -- the Padre visits the preacher and invites him to do some shooting at the local pond early on Saturday morning.

The Fundy accepts, saying, "Reverend, ya'll ain't so bad as yore predecessor. But I still hate yore Cat'lic nonsense."

On Saturday morning, the men drive over to the pond, each with his favorite retrieving dog, and begin to do some serious hunting. When the priest shoots down a duck, he tells the preacher: "Watch this. I'll send my holy dog for that duck." The dog runs out into the pond and strolls across the surface of the water to get the duck, not getting anything but his paws wet.

This act is repeated several times, the priest's dog never sinking, until the men decide to call it a day.

The priest turns to the preacher and asks, "Well, did you see my dog?"
"Yep," the preacher answers."

"So what do you think?" asks the priest.

Replies the Fundy, "Ah think Cat'lic dogs cain't swim.

Tobit

Then finally Tobit tells Tobiah that he has deposited a great sum of money with Gabri's son Gabael at Rages in Media. And he tells Tobiah not to be discouraged due of their poverty because he will be a rich man if he fears God, avoid all sin, and do what is right before the Lord his God.

Then Tobiah tells his father Tobit and he will everything that he has commanded him. He also asks Tobit how he can obtain the money from Gabael since he does not know Tobiah and Tobiah does not know him.

Tobit answers Tobiah and he and Gabael exchanged signatures on a document written in duplicate, which he divided it into two parts, and each of them kept one. Gabael’s copy Tobit put with the money. He then tells Tobiah to find himself a trustworthy man who will make the journey with him.

Tobiah Meets Archangel Rafael

So Tobiah goes to look for someone acquainted with the roads who would travel with him to Media. As soon as he goes out, he finds the angel Raphael standing before him, though he does not know that he is an angel of God.

Then Tobiah asks the man who he is. The man answers that he is an Israelite, one of his kinsmen who has come to work. Tobiah asks the man if he knows the way to Media.

The man replies that he does and that he has been there many times, thus he knows the place well and he knows all the routes. The man says further that he has often traveled to Media, where he used to stay with their kinsman Gabael, who lives at Rages in Media.

Tobiah then goes to tell his father of the man who will make the journey with him. Tobiah tells Tobit that the man he has met is one of their own Israelite kinsmen. Tobit asks to meet the man so he can find out more about him and whether he can be trusted.

When Raphael enters the house, Tobit greets him first and Raphael gives him hearty greetings. But Tobit replies that there is not much joy left for him, for he is blind and must remain in darkness. Raphael tells Tobit to take courage for God has healing in store for him.

Tobit then asks Rafael if he can go with his son Tobiah who wants to go to Media, and show him the way. Raphael tells him that he will go with Tobiah for he knows all the routes. Rafael tells him that his name is Azariah, son of Hananiah the elder, one of his own kinsmen.

The Journey to Media

Rafael assures Tobit that in good health they shall leave him, and in good health they shall return to him, for the way is safe.

Tobiah and Rafael then set out for their journey.

But his mother begins to weep and reproaches Tobit for sending Tobiah away. But Tobit reassures her that their son will be back in good health.

Tobiah and Rafael walk until nightfall and the made camp beside the Tigris River. When Tobiah goes to the river to wash his feet a large fish suddenly leaps out of the water and tries to swallow his foot. He shouts in alarm. But the angel tells him to hold on to the fish and not to let it get away. So boy seizes the fish and hauls it up on the shore.

The angel then tells him to cut the fish open, take out its gall, heart, and liver, and keep them with him, but to throw away the entrails. Rafael tells him that its gall, heart, and liver make useful medicines.

So Tobiah cuts the fish open and puts aside the gall, heart, and liver. Then he broils and eats part of the fish, while the rest he salts and keeps for the journey.

When they are near Media, Tobiah asks Rafael what the medicinal values are for the fish's heart, liver, and gall. Rafael tell him that if you burn the fish’s heart and liver so that the smoke surrounds a man or a woman who is afflicted by a demon or evil spirit, the affliction will leave him completely, and no demons will ever return to him again. As for the gall, if he rubs it on the eyes of a man who has cataracts, blowing into his eyes right on the cataracts, his sight will be restored.

Tobit Meets Sarah
When they enter Media and getting close to Ecbatana Raphael tells Tobiah that they must stay the night with Raguel, who is a relative of his. He has a daughter, an only child, named Sarah.

Rafael tells Tobiah that since he is Sarah's closest relative, he before all other men has the right to marry her, according to there custom. Also, her father's estate will be rightfully his to inherit. He tells Tobiah that the girl is sensible, courageous, and very beautiful; and her father loves her dearly.

Rafael continues that he will ask the girl's father to let them have her as his bride. When they return from Rages, they will hold the wedding feast for her.

Tobiah objects, however, that he heard that this woman has already been married seven times, and that her husbands died in their bridal chambers, on the very night they approached her. He also tells Rafael that it is said that it was a demon who killed them and that he is afraid he might die as well.

But Rafael reminds Tobiah of his father's order to marry a woman from their own family. Then Rafael reassures Tobiah and not to give another thought to this demon. He tells Tobiah that when he goes into the bridal chamber, to take the fish's liver and heart, and place them on the embers for the incense. He continues that as soon as the demon smells the odor they give off, he will flee and never again show himself near her.

When Tobiah hears Raphael say that she is his kinswoman, of his own family's lineage, he falls deeply in love with her, and his heart becomes set on her.

When they arrive at Ecbatana they are lead straight to the home of their kinsman, Raguel. Raguel finds out with great joy that Tobiah is the son of Tobit, but becomes saddened when he finds out that Tobit has lost his eyesight.

Afterwards, Raguel slaughters a ram from the flock and gives them a cordial reception. When they got ready to eat, Tobiah tells Rafael to ask Raguel to let him marry Sarah. Raguel, however, overhears Tobiah, so he reassures Tobiah that he cannot give Sarah for marriage to anyone but Tobiah. However, Raguel explains that Sarah had been married to seven men before and they all died the very night they are to consummate their marriage. But Raguel eventually gives Sarah as Tobiah's wife.

Then Raguel calls his daughter Sarah, and gives her to Tobiah. He tells Tobiah to take Sarah according to the decree written in the Book of Moses she as his wife. He then calls her mother and tells her to bring a scroll, then they draw up a marriage contract according to the decree of the Mosaic law and they affix their seals.

Afterwards they begin to eat and drink. Later Raguel calls his wife Edna to prepare the other bedroom and bring the girl there. Then Sarah goes inside.


When they finish eating and drinking, the girl's parents lead Tobiah into the bedroom. At this point Tobiah, mindful of Raphael's instructions, takes the fish's liver and heart from the bag which he had with him, and places them on the embers for the incense. As Rafael said the demon is repelled by the odor of the fish and flees into Upper Egypt. Raphael pursues him there and binds him hand and foot. Then Raphael returns immediately. When Tobiah and Sarah are alone, as Rafael instructed, Tobiah rises from bed with his wife to get up. He tells Sarah
that they are to pray and beg the Lord to have mercy on them and to grant them deliverance. So Sarah gets up, and they pray and beg deliverance.

After prayer they go to bed for the night. Meanwhile, Raguel gets up and orders his servants to start digging a grave so that if necessary they may bury him without anyone's knowing about it. Afterwards his wife sends a servant to Tobiah’s room to see if he is dead.

The maid lights a lamp, goes into Tobiah’s room and finds them sound asleep together. The maid then goes back to Raguel and tells him that there is nothing wrong, and Tobiah is alive.

Then Raguel praises the God of heaven.

Afterwards, he orders his servants to fill in the grave before dawn. He tells his wife to prepare for a great feast!

Then he tells Tobiah that half of what he owns is his when he returns to his father and the other half he will have when he and his wife die. At Raguel's urging, Tobiah makes an oath not to leave Raguel's house for fourteen days, and feast and celebrate during that time.

Because of his oath not to leave the house of Raguel for fourteen days, Tobiah calls Raphael and tells him to continue to Rages. There, Tobiah tells Rafael to go to Gabael’s house and present to him his father's bond. Tobiah continues that after Gabael gives him his father’s money, for Rafael to invite Gabael to Tobiah’s wedding celebration.

So Raphael, together with the four servants and two camels, travel to Rages in Media. When they get to Gabael's house, Raphael gives Gabael Tobit’s bond and tells him about Tobit's son Tobiah, and that he had married and has invited him to the wedding celebration. Gabael promptly checks over the sealed moneybags, and they place them on the camels.

They leave early in the following morning and travel to the wedding celebration. When they enter Raguel's house, Gabael recognizes Tobiah as he is the very image of his cousin Tobit. He greets and blesses Tobiah profusely as a noble and good child of a good, upright and charitable man.

Meanwhile, day by day, Tobit keeps track of the time Tobiah was away. When Tobiah does not arrive at the time Tobit expected him back from his journey he becomes very worried, but yet he reassures his wife lovingly that Tobiah is safe and will be back soon. He reassures her that there must have been a delay in their journey. Nevertheless, Tobit and his wife become very worried at Tobiah’s delay in returning.

Now at the end of the fourteen-day wedding celebration, which Raguel had sworn to hold for his daughter, Tobiah goes to him and and asks to let him go because he knows that his father and mother must now be worried sick about him.

Raguel, however, tells Tobiah to stay and he will send messengers to his father to give him the news about him. But Tobiah insists that he must go back to his father. Finally, Raguel relents and hands over to Tobiah Sarah his wife, together with half of all his property.

Then Raguel blesses Tobiah for his posterity, and advices Sarah to honor Tobiah’s parents. Finally, Tobiah and Sarah are on their way back to Nineveh.

When they are on their return journey, just before Nineveh, Raphael tells Tobiah that they two must hurry on ahead of his wife to prepare the house while the rest of the party are still on the way.

So they both go on ahead and Raphael reminds Tobiah to have the gall of the fish in his hand.

Meanwhile, Anna sits watching the road by which her son was to come, and she sees him coming. She exclaims to Tobit that Tobiah is arriving with the man who went with him.

Raphael tells Tobiah before he reaches his father for Tobiah to smear the fish gall on his father’s eyes. This medicine will make the

cataracts shrink and peel off from his eyes; then his father will again be able to see.

Then Anna runs up to her son, throws her arms around him, and greets him sobbing. Tobit gets up and stumbles out through the courtyard gate. Tobiah goes up to him with the fish gall in his hand, and holding him firmly, blows into his eyes. Next he smears the medicine on his eyes, and beginning at the corners of Tobit's eyes, Tobiah peel off the cataracts with his hands. When Tobit sees his son, he throws his arms around him and weeps.

Tobit exclaims in joys of being able to see him and then blesses the LORD and praises him.

Then Tobiah tells his father that his journey had been a success; that he had brought back the money; and that he had married Raguel's daughter Sarah, who will arrive shortly, for she is approaching the gate of Nineveh.

Rejoicing and praising God, Tobit goes out to the gate of Nineveh to meet his daughter-in-law. When the people of Nineveh sees him walking along briskly, with no one leading him by the hand, they are amazed.

Before them all Tobit proclaims how God had mercifully restored sight to his eyes. When Tobit reaches Sarah, the wife of his son Tobiah, he greets her, and welcomes her as his daughter, with great joy. Tobit then blesses God for bringing her to them and he blesses her father and her mother.

That day there is joy for all the Jews who live in Nineveh. Then they celebrate Tobiah's wedding feast for seven happy days, and he receives many gifts.

When the wedding celebration comes to an end, Tobit calls his son Tobiah and tells Tobiah to see to it that he gives what is due to the man who made the journey with him and to give him a bonus too.

Tobiah asks his father how much to give Rafael, suggesting that it will not hurt him at all to give him half of all the wealth he brought back with him. Tobiah continues that he led him back safe and sound; he cured his wife, Sarah; he brought the money back with him; and he cured him.

Tobit then tells Tobiah that it is only fair that he should receive half of all that he brought back. So Tobiah calls Raphael and tells him to take as his wages half of all that he brought back.

The Words of an Archangel

Raphael calls the two men aside privately.

Rafael tells them to thank God and give him the praise and the glory;

That before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for them, by blessing and extolling his name in song, and before all men, honor and proclaim God's deeds, and do not be slack in praising him;

To declare and make known the works of God, and to do good, and evil will not find its way to them;

That prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness;

That a little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness;

That it is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin;

That those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies.

The Revelation of Rafael
Then Rafael says that he will now tell them the whole truth and he will conceal nothing at all from them.

Rafael says that when Tobit and Sarah prayed, it was he who presented and read the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and he did the same thing when Tobit used to bury the dead.

When Tobit did not hesitate to get up and leave his dinner in order to go and bury the dead, it was he who was sent to put him to the test. At the same time, however, God commissioned him to heal him and him daughter-in-law, Sarah.

Then he reveals that he is Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord.

I have already said to you, 'A king's secret it is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be made known with due honor.'

Stricken with fear, the two men fall to the ground. But Raphael says to them not to fear for they are safe, and for them to thank God now and forever.

Rafael also says that when he came to him it was not out of any favor on his part, but because it was God's will. He tells him to continue to thank him every day and praise him with song.

So Rafael tells them to get up from the ground and praise God. He tells them that he is about to ascend to him who sent him. He tells them to write down all these things that have happened to them.

When Raphael ascends they rise to their feet and could no longer see him. They keep thanking God and singing his praises; and they continue to acknowledge these marvelous deeds which he had done when the angel of God appeared to them.

Then Tobit composes a joyful prayer of praise and exultation of the LORD.

Just before Tobit dies, he calls his son Tobiah and Tobiah's seven sons, and commands him to take his children and flee into Media, for he believes God's word which was spoken by Nahum against Nineveh. To0bit tells Tobiah that whatever was said by Israel's prophets, whom God commissioned, shall occur. He continues that not one of all the oracles shall remain unfulfilled, but everything shall take place in the time appointed for it.

Tobit dies peacefully at the age of a hundred and twelve, and receives an honorable burial in Nineveh.

	This week's Readings:
	This is from the St. Vincent de Paul website, on the Gospel of Lk 19:1-10, for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time:
	The Old Testament prophets have been described as men who had not optimism, but who had hope. The distinction is a valid one. Optimism is a human quality; hope is a spiritual one. A Christian may not always be optimistic about the world, but he need never be without hope, for Jesus Christ has risen and is with us. Therefore, at no time should we be without hope for the future. (*(McCullen, Deep Down Things: Selected Writing, p. 29)*

The Sunday Readings

November 11, 2007:
Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading From the Second Book of Maccabees:

2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said:
"What do you expect to achieve by questioning us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors."

At the point of death he said:
"You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying."

After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words:
"It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again."

Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
When he was near death, he said,
"It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."

Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:

Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Keep me as the apple of your eye,
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Second Reading from the Letter to Thessalonians

2 Thes 2:16-3:5

Brothers and sisters:
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith.

But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you are doing and will continue to do.

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

Reading From the Gospel of Luke:

Lk 20:27-38 or 20:27, 34-38

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.

Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.

Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her."

Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called out 'Lord,' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward.

Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.

That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called out 'Lord,' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

References

	Straight Answers, Answers to 100 Questions about the Catholic Faith by Ph.D Rev. William P. Saunders (Author) Review by: Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of Charlotte Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and direct response to the many questions concerning the Catholic Church. It spells out profound truths in very
simple language for all who seek a better understanding of their Faith. I highly recommend it for Catholics, both young and old.

	The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way From Amazon: After years of spiritual study and reflection, inspirational speaker and
bestselling author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed teacher. His current message about tapping into the power of intention may sound like good old positive thinking: just stay focused on what you want, rather than focusing on the lack of having what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper than just controlling thoughts (although he does acknowledge that thought control is a surprisingly challenging and significant endeavor). This book might help readers land a better job, but it's more relevant for those who are ready to detach from an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of happiness and step into a more authentic, joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His core teachings speak to tapping into a universal source of energy that can also be called the "power of intention."

	The Chariot of Israel: Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was referring not to the chariot but to the prophet. This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you as it walks you through a pivotal period in Israel’s history, and illustrative maps will give you a better picture of the physical geography of this ancient land.

	The First Book of Kings (Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the Old Testament)This volume of commentary on the New English Bible text of the First Book of Kings follows the pattern of the now well-established series on the Old and New Testaments. The main divisions of the text are those provided by the New English Bible itself, but these are further subdivided for the purposes of the commentary, which is printed in short sections following the relevant portion of the text.
Canon Robinson suggests that the editors of I Kings compiled their history in order to teach the Hebrews that their existence as Israel, the covenant people of God, depended upon their continuing loyalty to their own religious traditions, and their refusal to exchange them for the very different traditions of the Canaanites among whom they lived.

	I & II Samuel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library) First sentence in the book: ""THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL contain that part of the history of Israel which describes the foundation of the State, running from the close of the period of the Judges to the establishment of the united kingdom."

Read more about the Liturgical Year

	The Origins of the Liturgical Year (Pueblo Books) by Thomas J. Talley (Author) The Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics at the General Theological Seminary in New York, is one of the leading liturgists in the country. He gives us a fresh examination of the complex history of the Liturgical Year.

	The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C. (Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday) by John J. Pilch (Author) Reader Review: The book by Pilch provides those who not only fill the pulpits across this country but also all interested in the cultural world in which Jesus lived with a lot of pertinent information that sheds light on a lot of areas that have been "muddled" in the past. Yes, I highly recommend this book. - James Mauldin

Learn more and read the Old Testament.
	Preaching from the Old Testament by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader Review: The author of these thirty-two short chapters begins and ends with the assumption that problems we experience with the Old Testament are our problem, not the Bible's. This subordinating of the Bible reader to the well-weathered book he holds in his hand opens doors, not to forced harmonisations of problematic passages, but to fresh reappraisal of difficult texts on their own terms. - David A. Baer

	The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old Testament) This volume helps you make the first five books of the Old Testament a vital part of your spiritual reading and practical growth in the Christian life. It contains the full English and Latin texts of these books, along with extensive and faithfully Catholic commentaries. Like other volumes in the world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these commentaries draw on Church documents, the exegesis of Fathers and
Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible project.

Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.

If you have any comments or contributions, please use the form in this link.

Recipes

Asparagus, Bacon and Leaf Salad

SERVES FOUR Ingredients 1 1/4 lb medium asparagus spears 4 1/2 oz thin-cut smoked back (lean) bacon 9 oz frisée lettuce leaves or mixed leaf salad 1/2 cup French dressing Click here for the Web Version Click here for a Printer Friendly Version
Frisée has feathery, curly, slightly bitter tasting leaves and is a member of the chicory family. Frisée leaves range in color from yellow-white to yellow-green.

Baked Salmon with Green Sauce

SERVES SIX TO EIGHT

Ingredients
6 3/4 lb salmon, cleaned with head and tail left on
3—5 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 1/2 cups watercress sauce or herb mayonnaise
1 medium cucumber, sliced thin
1 lemon, quartered

Click here for the Web Version

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

Creamed Coconut Macaroons

MAKES SIXTEEN TO EIGHTEEN

Ingredients
2 oz creamed coconut, chilled
2 large (US extra large) egg whites
1/2 cup caster (superfine) sugar
1 cup desiccated (dry unsweetened shredded) coconut
Grated rind of one lime

Click here for the Web Version

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version