Friday 4 June 2021

Today is Friday the 4 June, in the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time.  

The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing: Exspectans exspectavi Dominum: I waited and waited for the Lord, and he has looked upon me, he heard my cry.  

Today’s reading is from the Book of Tobit.

Tobit 11:5-17

Anna was sitting, watching the road by which her son Tobias would come. She was sure at once it must be he and said to his father Tobit, who had been blinded, 'Here comes your son, with his companion'. Raphael said to Tobias before he reached his father, 'I give you my word that your father's eyes will open. You must put the fish's gall to his eyes; the medicine will smart and will draw a filmy white skin off his eyes. And your father will be able to see and look on the light.' The mother ran forward and threw her arms round her son's neck. 'Now I can die,' she said 'I have seen you again.' And she wept. Tobit rose to his feet and stumbled across the courtyard through the door. Tobias came on towards him (he had the fish's gall in his hand). He blew into his eyes and said, steadying him, 'Take courage, father!' With this he applied the medicine, left it there a while, then with both hands peeled away a filmy skin from the corners of his eyes. Then his father fell on his neck and wept. He exclaimed, 'I can see,  my son, the light of my eyes!' And he said: 'Blessed be God! Blessed be his great name! Blessed be all his holy angels! Blessed be his great flame for evermore! For he had scourged me and now has had pity on me and I see my son Tobias.'  

Anna and Tobit, these elderly parents, are anxiously awaiting the return of their son Tobias and his angel-companion Raphael.  This might lead me to ponder on love … first God’s love for me …  and then human love in its various forms ... between parent and child, husband and wife, one friend and another.  Where and how have these kinds of love been present in your life?  

God’s love is central to this story, but faith and hope also feature. Tobit, the father, is blind and awaiting a cure; Tobias has been offered a bizarre remedy by Raphael. Both father and son need faith to believe, and hope to uphold them. When in your life have you needed that kind of faith and hope?  Maybe it was a long time ago – maybe it’s now.  

Listen  to the passage again, which of your own experiences of love and faith and hope does it remind you of?  

Speak to the Lord now about what this reading has stirred in you.  Perhaps you noticed Tobit’s exuberance and gratitude at what God did for him, and want to ask God for that same enthusiasm. Perhaps you were made aware of some blindness in yourself, and want to ask God to open your eyes.  Perhaps you were reminded of someone you know whose healing you could help with.  Whatever your feelings or reactions are, bring them before your loving God.        

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.