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| Tobias & Sarah Awake |
(Raguel said) I have given her in marriage to seven men, all of whom were kinsmen of ours, and all died on the very night they approached her. But now, son, eat and drink. I am sure the Lord will look after you both." … Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife, "My love, get up. Let us pray and beg our Lord to have mercy on us and to grant us deliverance." She got up, and they started to pray and beg that deliverance might be theirs. And they began to say: "Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever. (Tobit 6:14, 8:4-5)
The scribe said to (Jesus), "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:32-34)
Piety
"Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever.”
Study
Remarkable, the beauty of Tobiah and Sarah’s prayer, praising and thanking God although they were facing potential deadly danger. Yes, they got around to asking for protection but much of their uplifted prayer is one of loving God with all their hearts and putting their love for each other before their God. Their prayer comes of pain, anguish, and waiting. They trust in God believing that love will win out.
At times in my life, I’ve been so sick that even the sound of a soft voice asking to help me hurt my eyeballs. And there have been the few times when loss or anxiety over the future weighed so heavily that it was hard to imagine a path out of the trouble. During these times it has been hard to pray much more than a meager “help me Lord” much less thank the Lord as did Sarah and Tobiah. What I know of gratitude, however, is that it can, indeed open your heart to newness, to light, to life. As Jesus saw with the scribe, love of God, gracious and giving, opened him to the imminence of the Kingdom. His heart was receptive and God was present.
Action
“No one dared ask him any more questions.” Awe is righteous fear inducing. And our pause is, again, a place to be with God.
Today, in a moment when you find yourself off balance or even fearful, lost, angry, distressed, pray with Sarah and Tobiah: “Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever.” We are blessed by a gracious God and thousands of holy ancestors who by trusting in God approached the Kingdom. Be grateful.
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