Faithfulness In Time Of Trial

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Tuesday of 9th Week of Ordinary Time, Year 1, June 1st, 2021
Texts: Tobit. 2:9-14; Ps. 112:1-2.7-9; Mark 12:13-17
Today's first reading reminds us to keep our faith till the end. It also reminds us that to be righteous is not a freedom from challenges and problems. We may be righteous and yet we will still be afflicted.  Tobit, in today's first reading, was a  righteous man and yet he was afflicted with blindness. He was in darkness for four years. However, Tobit remained faithful in the face of the situation; he continued in the path of holiness and in keeping the commandments of the Lord his God. The reading even shows that Tobit was scrupulous in keeping, observing and doing the commandments of God. It says, "One day, the seventh of Dystrus, when she cut off a piece she had woven and sent it to the owners, they paid her full wages and they also gave her a kid. When she returned to me it began to bleat.  So I called her and said to her, 'Where did you get the kid? It is not stolen, is it? Return it to the owners; for it is not right to eat what is stolen.' And she said, 'It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages.' But I did not believe her, and told her to return it to the owners; and I blushed for her." With the life of Tobit we come to learn that our problem should not be an excuse for not keeping and observing the commandments of God. In all circumstances, both in time of joy and trying moment, we must keep on observing and doing the words of God like Tobit. We may be insulted and people make it look as if righteous works do not pay; we must still continue to be steadfast and hold on to our faith.
Today's account of the life of Tobit teaches us that we are not to serve God because of gain or because we want Him to solve the problems of our lives. God wants unconditional love; we are to serve Him without condition. Faithfulness in time of trial is possible when we have unconditional love for God. God is to be served because of who He is, not because of what we stand to gain in serving Him. Tobit loved God and serving Him unconditionally and he was faithful in time of adversity and trial. Unconditional love is the secret of faithfulness.
In today's gospel reading, the pharisees and some of the Herodians sought the fall of Jesus Christ by putting Him to the test. This tells us that the righteous stand being put to the test. Some people around us will seek to test the genuineness of our faith. For this reason, our Lord ask us to pray thus: "And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from every evil." We have to pray always not to fall into temptation. If we are truly righteous, we will beat them in the game as Jesus Christ beat them in the game. In this world we will have trial, our faith will be put to the test but we are not to be afraid, for Jesus Christ has conquered the world. He is our wisdom and strength, we have also conquered the world with Him.

Lord Jesus Christ, we beg You to always sustain our faith in time of trial, help us to love and serve You unconditionally, that we may be faithful till the end. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke