The Most Holy Trinity 

Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9; Psalm Daniel 3; 2Corinthians 13:11-13; John 3:16-18

In the first reading from the Old Testament Book of Exodus we see Moses going back to the Lord with the two tablets to receive the Law from a tender and compassionate God. The God who gives the Law to his people is one who does so out of love for his people that – through observance of the Law – they may be drawn into his love and live in happiness. The second reading is quite Trinitarian in its closing words to the people of Corinth, a closing which we use at the start of the Eucharist, and which is a common feature of St Paul’s letters. The Gospel tells us that God sent his Son to redeem and to save the world. We are told that God did this because he wanted all people to “have eternal life.” All who believe in Jesus and who live out that belief, will one day be joined with the Trinity in eternal life.

Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time 

Tobit 1:3, 2:1-8; Psalm 111; Mark 12:1-12

Today we turn to the Book of Tobit which was possibly written by Jews in Egypt between the fourth and fifth centuries before Christ. In today’s text we read of Tobit who was sitting down to a feast but, before he touched the food, he sent his son out to bring in someone who was in need to share in the meal. The son came back to say that one of their people had been killed and thrown in the market place. Tobit got up immediately and recovered the body and gave it a dignified burial. He shows concern for someone he did not know simply because he was one of his nation. It is also important because Tobit and the Jewish people were in exile in Assyria and many were struggling to keep faithful to their traditions and their Jewish roots. In our Gospel text from St Mark, we have the parable of the vineyard in which the owner’s son is murdered and thrown out. The earth, of course, is the vineyard and the workers represented the Jewish authorities of his day against whom Christ told this parable. The Jewish authorities wanted to arrest Christ there and then but couldn’t for fear of the people. The earth still belongs to God and we look after it as his stewards but we must do so in a way which is in keeping with the will of God. We must have a concern for others and for all of creation just as Tobit did in our first reading.

Memorial of St Boniface, Bishop & Martyr

Known as the ‘Apostle of Germany,’ Boniface was born in Devon, England, about the year 680 and christened Winifrid. He became a monk and left England in 716 to preach the Gospel in Germany and was given the name Boniface by Pope Gregory II. He travelled throughout Germany and established monasteries and dioceses before carrying out an ecclesiastical reform in Gaul. He was consecrated bishop in 722 and was later Primate of Germany. In his seventies, he retired as bishop and travelled about the country again. He was martyred for the faith in Friesland in 754.

Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Tobit 2:9-14; Psalm 111; Mark 12:13-17

In our reading today from the book of Tobit we see that Tobit loses his sight through a simple accident. The treatments only make his condition worse and yet he says nothing against God who could have prevented this from happening, even when his own wife says that there is no point in remaining faithful to God. As the Psalm says – “With a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.” In our Gospel passage we see the chief priests and scribes at odds with Jesus and trying to catch him out. They ask him whether or not they should pay taxes to Caesar and he tells them that as it is Caesar’s head on the coin that they should pay. He tells him to “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.” We owe everything to God and we should thank and praise him for all that he has given us. He is the Lord of creation and is to be given true praise and acknowledgment at all times, even when things are not going our way.

Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Tobit 3:1-11, 16-17; Psalm 24; Mark 12:18-27

In our reading today from Tobit we see that Tobit is downhearted at the lot that has fallen to him and so he begins a prayer of lamentation to God. At the same time there is a woman named Sarah who has been married seven times but all of her husbands have died before they came together. She too begins a prayer of lamentation to God and like Tobit, she too prays for death as a deliverance from her problems. Their prayers are answered and the Archangel Raphael is sent to them. This is an example of how we should trust in God and pray to him with confidence. In our Gospel text we see Jesus being questioned by the Sadducees and he tells them that God is not a God of the dead but of the living. In other words, when we physically die in this life part of us lives on forever. The Sadducees denied this because they had not fully grasped the teachings in the scriptures and did not believe in resurrection. Their story of a woman with seven husbands reminds us of Sarah in the first reading. We have Christ’s word for life after death and also the promise of eternal life to those who trust in him and believe in the promise he has made to us.

Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Tobit 6:10-11, 7:1, 9-14, 8:4-9; Psalm 127; Mark 12:28-34

In our first reading today we see the marriage of Sarah to Tobias after Tobias has been sent to Persia to collect a sum of money for his father, Tobit. Sarah’s father warns Tobias of the fate of those who marry his daughter yet Tobias goes ahead with the marriage regardless. The passage ends with the newly-weds in fervent prayer before God. We again see the scribes questioning Jesus in the Gospel but this time his answer silences them. He tells the scribes, and us, that we must love the Lord our God with our whole being and we must also love our neighbour. These are the two greatest commandments and on these two all others hang: if we can live by these two then we will have no trouble in keeping the Law of the Lord and living righteously before him as his sons and daughters.

Feast of St Columba (Colum Cille), Abbot & Secondary Patron of Ireland

Romans 12:1-2, 9-13 or 2 Cor 5:14-21; Psalm 33; Mt 8:18-27 or Mt 19:27-29

St Colum Cille was of royal lineage but he gave up that privilege and gave his whole life to Christ, founding churches and monasteries wherever he went. As Colum Cille became a servant of the Gospel of Christ we too are challenged today to continue his great missionary work in our own communities.

Columba was born about the year 521 in Co Donegal of royal stock and having completed his studies spent 15 years founding churches and preaching in Ireland. In 561 – for reasons still not clear – he left Ireland for Scotland and arrived on the island of Iona with twelve companions. He preached the Gospel far and wide while returning to Ireland occasionally. His monastic rule had a great influence on Western monasticism. He died in 597.

Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20; Psalm – Tobit 13; Mark 12:38-44

In our first reading the Archangel Raphael reveals himself and tells Tobit and Tobias that he was sent to test their faith and they have been found righteous. Before he leaves them he reminds them – and us – to always praise and thank God. He also tells them that while it is right to keep certain things secret it is always right to proclaim the works of God to all people. The Psalm comes from Tobit’s beautiful song of thanksgiving after Raphael has left them. In our Gospel we have the story of the widow who put in very little to the offerings when compared to the money given by others and yet hers was the greater offering because she gave from what she needed while the others gave from their surplus and so would never miss it. We too are challenged to give as much as possible from what we have and not just from what we have over and above what is needed to live. We are reminded today to praise God and to give charitably to others.