It is unusual that the Responsorial Psalm today does not come from one
of the 150 Psalms of the Bible but from one of the smaller, rather
obscure Books of the Old Testament, the Book of Tobit. This is a family
story, with a lesson about God's providence in our lives each day. God's
kindness, mostly hidden, but finally revealed in the person of His
messenger and agent, the angel Raphael, who has been the companion of Tobit
and his son. After Raphael reveals his true identity, Tobit sings a
song of thanksgiving, praise and blessing to God for all His greatness.
Though Tobit is an exile from his homeland, he is full of hope and a
sense of mission to tell people about God's greatness and how He has been
at work in Tobit's own life. We sometimes call people "angels" because
they are or have been kind and thoughtful and helpful to us. Maybe there
is more truth in that name 'angel' than we realise, for the Lord's
providence does work through the people and happenings of our lives,
usually in ways we don't recognise at the time. Like with Raphael's
disappearance from the presence of Tobit and his son, it is often only after the
event that we see how truly blessed we have been and can then give
thanks and praise, even in 'exile' (any trouble, difficulty, loneliness
etc), to the Lord who has been with us but was unrecognised.
Give Your blessing, Lord, to all the people who have travelled even a
short part of our life's journey with us.
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DAILY OFFERING
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Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings.
Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage
discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.
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PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
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INTENTION
That the adolescents and young people of the third millennium may discover a profound ideal to devote themselves to.
Elaboration
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