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 2:9-14)
Even for saints, domestic life can be a bit stressful, as this reading from the Book of Tobit illustrates. The just man can “lavishly give to the poor,” as today’s psalm points out, but if he wants domestic tranquility, he had better make sure he’s cleared it with his wife first.
