+ Our readings today are about promise and fulfillment, patience
and results, trust and reward. The first reading is a
continuation of the blessed and glorious unfolding of the Tobit, Tobiah, Sarah
story of affliction, pleading, crying out to God, and then relief, healing and
reconciliation.
Tobit is rewarded for his
continued prayers for his son Tobiah, and his new wife Sarah – who, so far, has
successfully entered marriage with him. And for Tobit to see the results of his
prayers, Tobiah provides what is needed for the successful cataract removal
procedure so that he can see. He sees! He rejoices! His classic and noteworthy
prayer of thanksgiving reads:
“Blessed be God, and praised be his great name, and blessed
be all his holy angels. May his holy name be praised throughout all ages.
Because it was he who scourged me, and it is he who has had mercy on me.
Behold, I now see my son Tobiah!”
This is reminiscent of how
Job, at an earlier time, declares: “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away,
blessed be the name of the Lord!”
In both instances, we see the
astounding reality that God, though he may allow all kinds of things to happen
to us, never leaves us, and gives us, if we ask him, every single bit of
inspiration and know-how as to how to endure the playing out of the answer to
our prayers for relief.
He will use angels, and caring
companions, in many shapes, forms and sizes. And some, “out of the blue” – just
in time, or so it seems.
These readings are also about:
not only visible sight-restoration, but also spiritual. Jesus is trying to tell
the scribes in their own language (the psalms)
how David saw Jesus, as his descendant, who would sit upon his throne of mercy,
compassion, truth and justice, forever, through the eyes of faith.
May we pray today for the gift
of spiritual sight, vision and insight – so that we can see truly and clearly
what is what, and minister to what we see with the Lord’s own mercy, compassion
and helping, healing hands and hearts.
“May the Lord open the eyes of
our hearts,” this day, and always!
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