Friday of the 9th week in the ordinary time of the year A
Theme: It will end in praise
The story of Tobit and his family, that we have been reading for the past few days, takes us to what can be referred to as the climax today. Remember, after all the challenges that was experienced by Tobit and his prayer that God takes his life, today he glorifies God for all he did for him and his household. His sight his restored and his son Tobias also returns with a good news, after his encounter with Angel Rafael.
Dear friends in Christ, amidst all the pains and difficulties associated with the life of Tobit, who was referred to as an upright man, everything ends to the glory of God. The moment his sight is restored, Tobit started appreciating and glorifying God for what he has done for him. All of us as children of God should learn one thing or the other from the experiences of Tobit and his family.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, remember that at a point Tobit could not comprehend the reason why he was going through the difficulties and pain he found himself, and he prayed that God should take his life. One thing that is very clear is that amidst his difficult situation, he still believed in God and did not give up on God.
Also, another very important point is the fact that, the process through which Tobit had a more intimate encounter with God, was a very difficult and painful one; but he did not give up or lose faith in God. His ability to wait for God until he takes his life, made a lot of difference. It helped him to wait patiently for the appointed time of God, even though it was a very difficult time of pain and sorrow for him. If he got tired before Gods time, it would not have ended in praise.
We have a lot to learn from the story of Tobit. The first thing I will want us to reflect on is the fact that sometimes the path that God takes us through to get to our destination, is often a tedious and difficult one. It simply reiterates the saying that we must go in through the narrow gate. This understanding may help us to better handle the difficulties and challenges of life that we encounter from time to time in our journey of faith. This awareness will make a lot of difference in the way we handle some situations in our lives. This could be that moment of intimate encounter with the Divine for us. It is important that in our relationship with God, we must always pray for the grace of patience and always understanding.
May the Lord bless his words in our hearts, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.