＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Tobit 11:5-17*

Now Anna was sitting there,

Scanning the road along which her son should return. She saw Tobias and Raphael coming in the distance and said to the father of Tobias, “Your son is coming with the man who accompanied him.”  While Tobias and Raphael were still going along the road, Raphael said to Tobias, “I am sure that your father will regain his sight. 

Rub his eyes with the fish gall and when he feels his eyes itching, he will rub them and the film will come away like scales from his eyes. He will regain his sight and see the light.”  Anna ran to meet Tobias and threw her arms around his neck saying, “At last I have seen you again, my child. Now I can die!” And both of them began to cry. 

Tobit also got up and, stumbling, arrived at the door of the courtyard. Tobias ran to him with the fish gall in his hand. He breathed on his father’s eyes, embraced him and said, “Father, have confi­dence!” Then he spread the fish gall on Tobit’s eyes. Tobias waited. 

When his eyes began to itch, Tobit rubbed them and with both hands scaled off the film from the corners of his eyes. When Tobit saw his son he threw his arms around Tobias’ neck and began to weep. He said, “Blessed be you, O God. Blessed be your Name forever. Blessed be your holy angels. You have punished me, but you have taken pity on me, and now I can see my son, Tobias.”

Tobias was very happy. After entering the house he told his father about the important things that had happened in Media. He told his father about the successful outcome of his journey, how he got the money, and how he married Sara, daughter of Ragouel, who just then was approaching the gates of Nineveh.

Tobit, happy and praising God, went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gates of Nineveh. (…..)

 

Ps 146:1b-2, 6c-7, 8-9a, 9bc-10

Praise the Lord, my soul!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊     

Mark 12:35-37

 As Jesus was teaching in the Tem­ple, he said, “The teachers of the Law say that the Messiah is the son of David. How can that be?   For David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit declared: The Lord said to my Lord: sit at my right until I put your enemies under your feet.   If David himself calls him Lord, in what way can he be his son?” Many people came to Jesus and listened to him gladly.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Jesus is trying to deepen the meaning of ancient prophecies. He is laying down the foundation of His being the Messiah in the bloodline of David, but He is more than just a human Messiah. He is the Son of God for He was addressed Lord by King David himself when he was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

So essentially, Jesus wants people to reflect more on the scriptures and not just accept standard interpretations of teachers of the time. And so the people are attracted to His teachings. He brings a deeper and fresh perspective to the words of scripture.