Tuesday of the 9th week in the ordinary time of the year A
Theme: An upright man
In the 1st reading of today from the Book of Tobit, we are presented with the ordeal of Tobit, after returning from burying a dead person. The fact that he was an upright man did not stop him from going through all the difficulties he went through as a blind man for years. Todays 1st reading is saying a lot to us as children of God, and we can easily relate with it. This is because the situation of Tobit is the situation of some Christians in our own time, and because of their challenging situation, they have lost faith in God. That is why the 1st reading of today should be a source of great strength to all of us and not only those going through similar situations in their lives.
This is because God has a way of writing in crooked lines. He decides to use any way or means he wants to strengthen our faith in him and grant us more than we ever requested from him. There is no doubt saying that such situations can be difficult and challenging when we face them as individuals, but the good news is that if we remain steadfast, we will never regret it in the end. Sometimes God takes us through that difficult process in our life, as he leads us to a better place in our life.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, I want you to know that the fact that you are good and upright, does not necessarily mean that everything will be going smoothly in your life. Sometimes things may be even more difficult and challenging for you, just to test your faith. The word of God says that it is those God loves that he reprimands. What matters most at such moments in our life is to pray for the grace of perseverance, not to lose our faith. Remember, those who will be victorious are those who will remain steadfast until the end.
Dear friends in Christ, do not allow the difficulties of life to stop you from doing what is good and right. Your uprightness and good deeds are known to God and at his own time, he will reward you accordingly. All those who went through such situations in the scripture, we know how they all ended at the end of their ordeal. It will always end to the glory of God. We are all encouraged today, to remain upright in our dealings and trust in God, who will reward us at his own time. May almighty God bless you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.