Daily Reflection: Tuesday, June 1

Tuesday, June 1

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

 They paid her the full salary

and also gave her a young goat for the table. 

On entering my house the goat began to bleat. 

I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from? 

Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners; 

we have no right to eat stolen food!”

She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.”

Yet I would not believe her, 

and told her to give it back to its owners.

I became very angry with her over this. 

So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now?

Where are your virtuous acts? 

See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”  (Tobit 2:12-14)

“We always hurt the ones we love.”  Tobit, now blind, is actually a very good man.  But here he speaks very harshly to his loving wife.  She reacted with hurt and then, sad at heart, Tobit groaned and wept and prayed to God with sobs.  

It is true that we sometimes behave terribly with the ones we love the most. Rarely, I hope, but it happens. We disappoint even ourselves as the veneer of our character dissolves.  Then our sincere contrition, like Tobit’s, brings hope.

John Frambes, ofm