Memorial of Saint Norbert

Today’s reading from Tobit highlights a wonderful exchange between Anna and Tobit. Tobit’s overwhelming pain from his blindness leads him to quarrel with his wife over charitable and generous acts. The scripture highlights that we pay taxes to build up our society and one another and render what is just and good for this to occur. We share our resources each day and remind ourselves that the blessings that come our way are meant to be shared. Jesus, too, is sharing how important it is to render what is essential to what is necessary and experience the generosity of God when given.

We also remember another Eucharistic saint from the twelfth century and Xanten-Magdeburg, Norbert Gennep. In 1120 he founded the Order of the Canons Regular, Premonstratensians (from the name of the valley in France) or simply the “Norbertines.” He preached and taught “on the road,” a mendicant at first, to bring the Good News to others, especially sharing the mysteries of the Eucharistic and resolving theological disputes about the Eucharist.

Pay close attention to the psalm today. Like Anna, Norbert, and each of us, we are called to have a firm, just heart that trusts in the Lord. God is lavish and generous with us and encourages us to render what is essential to God and our community.

What am I doing, besides paying taxes, to improve my community? Where could I share my gifts today? Maybe I could offer “my goat” to another to help them feel the benefits of generosity and kindness and reveal God’s abundance.

Prayer

Teach me to be generous, loving God and heal my infirmities, blindness, and other maladies that keep me from seeing how blessed I am! Share your wealth of grace to give me insight and a pure and good heart for others to know your glory through Christ our Lord.