Truth

Listening to Tobit 2:9-14, I rebelled within.  Why is this part of today’s readings? I wondered, rolling my eyes.  He’s no Job!  But, today’s online homily helped me look beyond Tobit to appreciate Anna, the unrelenting voice of reason, during— despite— her husband’s exasperation with life.

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Fr. Gerard Braun, whose homily was recorded, transcribed, and lightly edited, is pastor at St. Michael’s in Grand Forks, ND until June twenty-third, when he trades places with Fr. Raymond Courtright at St. Anthony’s in Fargo.

One time a gentleman was very proud about how much he gave to the Lord.  He said, “I take a thousand dollars in my hand every day, and I throw it up in the air.  Whatever stays up is God’s; whatever comes down is mine.”

Obviously, it’s twisted logic; so, likewise, the logic of the Pharisees today.  They miss the point that, you know, on the one hand, you give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, give to God what is God’s.  Well, everything is God’s.  Are their hearts given over to the Lord truly from the heart so that they could see God in their midst?  In Jesus, could they recognize his holiness?  Not if their hearts weren’t given to holiness, rather looking for self-concern and whatever it was that blinded them from seeing God’s presence in their midst.  Pure love.  So it is for all of us at times the failure to see the wonder of God’s mystery of love.

Justin Martyr, who was a martyr in the Church in 165 AD, found his way, first of all, through the study of philosophy.  He was a philosopher [like those] of that time, Greek and Roman.  But reason alone wasn’t giving him peace until someone introduced him to the prophets and, thus, Christianity.  And then comes a far deeper wisdom than just what the mind can figure out— the wisdom of the heart; the wisdom of love; the wisdom of a God who would give himself on a cross for us to show us what love looks like and to not just show us, but to live it himself.

God gave his life for us, as love will do.  No greater love than this than to lay down your life.  And that, of course, led him to be this great apologist.  That means one who teaches and defends the faith.  And, as he stood before the Roman procurator [who asked] “Do you really believe that you’re going to some other place after we take your life from you?  Do you really believe that?” before he beheaded him, [Justin Martyr] said, “I don’t believe it.  I know it!”

That knowledge of faith, that knowledge of the heart, the truth that we begin to know— that we know that we know— because of a relationship.  Just like you know a spouse, [just like] you know someone, we come to know God because we walk with him.  And, thus, everything is God’s.  It’s not like, well, I’ll give some to God and some— everything of my life is God’s.  If he asks for it, then I must give it.  I can’t hold back if the Lord requests and calls me to really empty myself as God did for us.  To empty myself as God did for us.  To be ready to give all.

One quick comment, too.  Not to complicate the waters but, in the beautiful first reading, Tobit who got the bird droppings in his eyes, was a pretty righteous man.  But now he’s in awful straits, and his wife has to challenge him.  He’s filled with anger now, right?  And for four years he’s angry [that he] lost his freedom [and] has to depend on his wife and her salary to feed them, so he’s just lashing out [like] when we get angry.

And, you know, when we have a bad day, whomever is in the way gets it sometimes.  But this one person said, “We all need a truth teller in our life.”  If you’re a leader and you put together a team, make sure one person on that team has the courage to tell you the truth about yourself so that you’re not always listening to the yes people.  “Oh, yes, whatever you say”— pandering to you and whatever you want.  Those aren’t the people you want on your team always.  You want the one who’s going to tell you the truth, to help guide you.

Well, that’s who Tobit’s wife was.  She said, “Look at the truth about yourself.  You think you’re so righteous, and pretty soon you’re filled with anger and bitterness and resentment.  Where’s your righteousness now?”  She had to tell him the truth about himself.

Thus, with humility comes deeper conversion to realize we all need that truth to find our weaknesses and sins so that we can grow closer to the Lord through his mercy and forgiveness.

September 28, 2021

“Fight to the death for truth, and the Lord God will fight for you” (Sir. 4:28).

September 29, 2021

“Truth suffers, but never dies” (St. Teresa of Ávila).

Links of interest…  Book of Tobit (lesson) / story / summary / wife (Anna)…  Justin Martyr: about / apologist / five lessons / quotes / saint (more)…  St. Anthony of Padua: diocese / Mass / website…  St. Michael Church: live stream (archives) / Mass / website…  Tobit & Tobias? Their lives are just like ours…

WP posts…  Beatitudes…  Blessed blessing…  Collective heart…  Corpus Christi…  Foundation…  Freedom…  God’s love letter…  Graces shared…  Heaven…  Mary’s gifts…  Most Holy Trinity…  Perfect prayer…  Salt and light…  St. Joseph…  Sunset