Feast of Justin Martyr

Christianity is not a superstition. A lot of theologians have helped make it rational, reasonable. Of course, in her infancy, theology was no more than apology. Christians needed to defend their faith in a sensible manner. I think this was the beginning of a systematic investigation of an understanding of our faith. One of these earliest apologists was Justin Martyr (100-165). The Catholic Church celebrates his Feast today. He had left behind many theological treatises and no doubt charted the course of theological development for the future generations. To be fair, action speaks louder than words. Justin was not just a theoretician. He did not just love Jesus with his own head, Justin practised what he believed in.
Practising one's faith is also the theme of the story of the hero we are reading this week. They were Tobit and his son Tobias which means "God is good" or "God is my good". Do the brilliant arguments of theologians add any glory to God? Obviously not. God wants actions and loves people who do His will (Mark 3:35).
The Hebrew version of Tobit was lost. Only the Greek translation exists. Therefore, this book was excluded from the Protestant canon. The story is very edifying and is retained in the Alexandrian canon. Its exclusion from the Protestant canon is regrettable. KJV follows the Protestant tradition but retains it in the Apocrypha section.
Unlike most other narratives in the Bible, this story is told in the first person. It sounds like an autobiography but this particular style doesn't reduce its status as an inspired scripture. Many of the Psalms are also written in the first person. That doesn't deflate their value as God's inspiration.
OK. Enough for the background. Let's go to the story.
Tobit belonged to the tribe of Naphatali (Tobit 1:1). He was exiled to Nineveh by Shalmaneser, king of the Assyrians. This is how he describes himself.
I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I performed many acts of charity to my brethren and countrymen who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh (Tobit 1:3).
How does the author paint a Tobit who walked in the ways of the truth and righteousness? He gave examples.
All the tribes that joined in apostasy used to sacrifice to the calf Baal, and so did the house of Naphtali my forefather.
But I alone went often to Jerusalem for the feasts, as it is ordained for all Israel by an everlasting decree. Taking the first fruits and the tithes of my produce and the first shearings, I would give these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar (Tobit 1:5-6).
Tobit also gave the tithes to Levites, spent another tithes in Jerusalem and gave away another tithes according to his duty (Tobit 1:7-8). An Israelite was incomplete without a wife and a son. So, we have Anna and Tobias (Tobit 1:9). In short, he was righteous and charitable according to the law. He was a truly ideal model of Israelites.
In Nineveh, even when all his brethren and relatives defiled themselves eating the food of Gentiles, he abstained from the food, because he remembered God with all his heart (Tobit 1:10-12).
As for his acts of charity, he gave bread to the hungry, clothed the naked and buried the dead who fled from Judea and yet killed by the king (Tobit 1:17-18). Someone informed the king about these burials so he had to go into hiding. But God did not forsake him.
But not fifty days passed before two of Sennacherib's sons killed him, and they fled to the mountains of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon, his son, reigned in his place; and he appointed Ahikar, the son of my brother Anael, over all the accounts of his kingdom and over the entire administration (Tobit 1:21).
Ahikar interceded for him and Tobit was able to return to Nineveh.
Remember God with all your heart. Walk in His ways of righteousness and God will remember you in your times of needs. Not even a king can harm you. How edifying!
When he returned home, it was Pentecost. A good dinner was prepared for him.
Upon seeing the abundance of food I said to my son, "Go and bring whatever poor man of our brethren you may find who is mindful of the Lord, and I will wait for you." (Tobit 2:2)
Not only was Tobit charitable, he also taught his son to be charitable. Tobit was a good father.
Tobias returned with a bad news. A country man was strangled and thrown into the market place. Without eating anything, Tobit sprang into action again. He removed the corpse and hid it in a shelter. Then he washed himself and ate in sorrow. After dinner, he went to dig a grave and buried the dead (Tobit 2:7).
And my neighbors laughed at me and said, "He is no longer afraid that he will be put to death for doing this; he once ran away, and here he is burying the dead again!" (Tobit 2:8)
What was in the mind of Tobit?
Certainly, consequences were not in his mind. Tobit was not a utilitarian. Did he do it out of duty? Was Tobit a Kantian? Not quite, because burying the dead cannot be universalized. It cannot be a Categorical Imperative. Tobit was not a Kantian. Burying the dead is one of the traditional Corporal Works of Mercy. Here, we have an example of virtue ethics.

Dear Lord, allow me to do the right things humbly. Amen.