Clothe yourself with the breastplate of righteousness Homily for Saturday of the 9th week in ordinary time June 2023

HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 9TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Tobit 12:1.5-15.20; Tobit 13; Mark 12:38-44

 Clothe yourself with the breastplate of righteousness

 

Since this week, the first reading has been from the book of Tobit. The story has been sequential and instructive. Yesterday, we saw light at the end of the tunnel. Today, through divine revelation, everything is making sense. Today’s first reading opened with Tobit asking his son Tobias to see to the wages of the man who went with him (Tobias) to go marry his wife Sarah; unknown to them that it was an angel of God. But one obvious truth here is that Tobit was consistent in being right and just. During his glorious days, he remembered the poor and helped in burying the dead. During his years of predicament, he will not give excuse for stealing. Now that all has been made well for him and his family, he insisted that the labourer must be given his due wage, with some extra. Consistency is an attribute of truth; so we can say that Tobit was truly right and just.

At this point, the angel, whom they thought was only an employee, laid bare everything before them. The angel stressed on the need to be thankful to God. We should not be slow to do this. Next, the angel taught that it is good to be charitable. He outlined the advantages of almsgiving. But then, the angel noted that our thanksgiving to God and charity to men will only count in our favour when they are done in righteousness. “A little with righteousness is better than much with wrongdoing”. This is something we should take very seriously. It seems easier to be grateful to God and charitable to men than to maintain a life of righteousness. But the angel revealed that it is righteousness that gives means to others and serves as necessary foundation.

The angel further revealed how God took note of Tobit’s kindness in caring for the hungry and burying the dead. These acts of kindness attracted God’s favour upon Tobit without him knowing it. When he prayed in his time of predicament, he petition was quickly presented to God because of his past moments of kindness. So, while his neigbhours laughed at him, God was taking note of his good deeds. Imagine if Tobit had stopped doing good because he was being mocked? I always says this: men can only recognize you; but it is God who has the capacity to reward you. Surely, those who mocked Tobit will use the same mouth to tell of the wonders of God in Tobit’s family; they will also come to celebrate with him.

Beloved, if you must listen to men, let it be that you have fully listened to God and that the voices of men are not contradicting the voice of God. He who lives by the words of men will surely be lost but he who lives by the Word of God, shall have his complaints turned into testimonies. St. Paul asked that we be clothed with righteousness as a breastplate (cf.Eph.6:14). Righteousness starts with listening and obeying the voice of God. Without this, we become the enemies of our own lives (as revealed by the angel).