Tobit

               To my delight, the daily mass readings began with Tobit this morning.  There is something about this book that intrigues me and makes me joyful.  The brief book (13 chapters) details the lives of a good family who gives to others and wants to remain faithful to God.

               I did not learn about Tobit growing up, since it is not included in the protestant version of the Bible.  Even after I began Catholic, I didn’t focus much on “those books that the Catholic Church added to the Bible.”  (It didn’t occur to me for years that it was the protestant leaders that removed books from the Bible!) Four years ago, I was introduced to Tobit through the readings at daily mass.

                I enjoyed the book so much that I proposed to my family that we read a chapter each night after dinner. My then twelve year old and my husband rolled their eyes at each other, but acquiesced to my suggestion.

               Over the course of three weeks or so, we read a chapter each night after dinner.  The book includes Tobit, a father who leaves his dinner table to go bury the dead.  He also sleeps outside and loses his site because bird defecates in his eyes.  His son, Tobias, goes on a journey to get salve that will bring back his father’s site and is accompanied by the Angel Raphael.  This son decides to marry a woman who has had seven other husbands, all who have died on their wedding night.

               Want to know more?  The book can be found between Nehemiah and Judith in the Old Testament.  If your family has not opened the Bible recently, this is a lovely way to begin.  You can find Tobit on line at http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=17.

               Two additional personal reflections: 

By the time we got to the tenth chapter, my son was the one who said, “Are we going to read Tobit tonight?”  His comment warmed my heart.

As I was cleaning out our guest bedroom a few months after we read Tobit, I showed my son the program from our wedding.  He was looking at it and said, “Mom, you had a reading from Tobit at your wedding?”  Yes, in fact we did!

               What to know more about the Bible?  Participate in Jeff Cavin’s Bible Study Timeline.  That dust will come off the Bible and it will bring salvation history to life for you.

              

Stirring Things Up!

               It the crazy month of May!  If you are a parent with children in school, you know what I mean.  Final concerts, end of the year parent meetings, sports playoff games, organizational meetings for Fall sports, final details for summer plans and maybe even planning the family vacation.  All of these joyful activities collide in this beautiful month of May.

               One of my May activities is leading a group of men and women through the 33 Days of Morning Glory retreat for Marian Consecration.  One of the participants said, “The idea of Marian Consecration is stirring things up, and my life is so busy that I don’t have time for them to be stirred up.”

               “Thank you Holy Spirit” was my silent response.  In this crazy busy world, sometimes I need to have my thoughts about my relationship with God “stirred up”. That is how I struggle and grow.  Today, I thought I would share with you some of the experiences that I have had that have “stirred things up” and brought me closer to the Lord.

Mary and Marian Consecration – As a convert, it took my many years to develop a relationship with Mary.  St. Louis de Montfort’s book True Devotion to Mary is a terrific read to understand Marian theology.  De Montfort’s Total Consecration for Mary is one method for Marian Consecration.  A second is the 33 Days to Morning Glory.  Both take 33 days and are begun on a day that allows consecration on a Marian feast. 

Catholicism series – Fr. Robert Barron is the creator and narrator of this 10 hours series on the Catholic Faith.  Rather than just words, this video series takes you on a world tour of sacred places, while teaching you about the faith.  It is visually breathtaking and spiritually challenging.  This is a series that every Catholic family should own!  It can be purchased on line for about $100 or so.

The Bible Timeline of Salvation History – Former protestant ministry, now Catholic leader has the premier video Bible Study.  This study takes you through fourteen books of the Bible and ties the Old Testament into the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  Well worth the 24 hours of viewing and the many hours of Bible reading.  More information, including studies happening in your area can be found by ascensionpress.com.

Walking Toward Eternity: Making Choices for Today.  – This is another video series by Jeff Cavins, but very different from Bible study.  It helps Catholics live out the faith they profess by cultivating Christina virtue in their daily lives. Walking Toward Eternity combines lectio divina, journaling, group discussion, video commentary and prayer to help individuals live lives of holiness and virtue.  The first series includes lessons on faithfulness, sacrifice, humility and thankfulness.

               

The Rudder

Isaiah makes a compelling case for regular reading of the word of God in Chapter 55, verse 10 - 11:

 

"Thus says the Lord: just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there will they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my work be that fores forth fro my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end form which I sent it."

 

 

For many years, as a Catholic, I didn't think I needed to read the Bible.  I was getting "fed" though Sunday mass.  Of course I didn't go back during the week to reflect on those readings. As I began going more frequently to daily mass, I enjoyed getting to know the Bible again. (The daily mass readings take you through most of the Bible in two years.)  Yet recently, I realized that I needed more than the  daily short passages from mass and now read the Daily Office, which includes a fairly lengthy reading from the Bible and then a second reading from a Church father or saint.  The longer readings give me a better sense of the context of the scripture.

 

In the Daily Office this morning, St. Cyprian calls the commands from the Gospel "nothing else than God's lessons, the foundation on which to build up hope, the supports for strengthening faith, the food that nourishes the heart. They are the rudder for keeping us on the right course, the protection that keeps our salvation secure."

 

He also makes a compelling case for reading and pondering the sacred Word give to us by our Lord.