FIRST
READING: Tobit 6:
10 - 11; 7:
1, 9 - 17; 8:
4 - 9
10
the angel said to the young man, "Brother, today we shall stay
with Raguel. He is your relative, and he has an only daughter named
Sarah. I will suggest that she be given to you in marriage,
11
because you are entitled to her and to her inheritance, for you are
her only eligible kinsman.
1
When they reached Ecbatana and arrived at the house of Raguel, Sarah
met them and greeted them. They returned her greeting, and she
brought them into the house.
9
So he communicated the proposal to Raguel. And Raguel said to Tobias,
"Eat, drink, and be merry;
10
for it is your right to take my child. But let me explain the true
situation to you.
11
I have given my daughter to seven husbands, and when each came to her
he died in the night. But for the present be merry." And Tobias
said, "I will eat nothing here until you make a binding
agreement with me."
12
So Raguel said, "Take her right now, in accordance with the law.
You are her relative, and she is yours. The merciful God will guide
you both for the best."
13
Then he called his daughter Sarah, and taking her by the hand he gave
her to Tobias to be his wife, saying, "Here she is; take her
according to the law of Moses, and take her with you to your father."
And he blessed them.
14
Next he called his wife Edna, and took a scroll and wrote out the
contract; and they set their seals to it.
15
Then they began to eat.
16
And Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, "Sister, make
up the other room, and take her into it."
17
so she did as he said, and took her there; and the girl began to
weep. But the mother comforted her daughter in her tears.
4
When the door was shut and the two were alone, Tobias got up from the
bed and said, "Sister, get up, and let us pray that the Lord may
have mercy upon us."
5
And Tobias began to pray, "Blessed art thou, O God of our
fathers, and blessed be thy holy and glorious name for ever. Let the
heavens and all thy creatures bless thee.
6
Thou madest Adam and gavest him Eve his wife as a helper and support.
From them the race of mankind has sprung. Thou didst say, `It is not
good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for him like
himself.'
7
And now, O Lord, I am not taking this sister of mine because of lust,
but with sincerity. Grant that I may find mercy and may grow old
together with her."
8
And she said with him, "Amen."
9
Then they both went to sleep for the night. But Raguel arose and went
and dug a grave,
PSALM:
Psalms 128:
1 - 5
1
Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.
2
For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it
shall be well with thee.
3
Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house.
4
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
5
May the Lord bless thee out of Sion: and mayest thou see the good
things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
GOSPEL:
Mark 12:
28 - 34
28
And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning
together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which
was the first commandment of all.
29
And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O
Israel: the Lord thy God is one God.
30
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with
thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength.
This is the first commandment.
31
And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
32
And the scribe said to him: Well, Master, thou hast said in truth,
that there is one God, and there is no other besides him.
33
And that he should be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole
understanding, and with the whole soul, and with the whole strength;
and to love one's neighbour as one's self, is a greater thing than
all holocausts and sacrifices.
34
And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him: Thou art
not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him
any question.
