St Paul teaches us: "God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with his purpose, and turns everything to their good." (Romans 8:28). While the doctrine is thus very clear, it can be quite difficult to see it in the reality of suffering. The Bible frequently turns to the mystery of suffering and seeks ways to show how God indeed does bring good out of suffering and other forms of evil.

The book of Tobit, which we read during this ninth week in Ordinary time, begins with the story of a good man mocked for doing a good deed. The story continues with suffering arising in the course of the ordinary things of life and comes to an account of extraordinary suffering in a series of multiple deaths.

In ordinary or extraordinary circumstances, most of us sooner or later have to face up to the mystery of suffering and, finally, its climax in death. As we reflect in prayer on the meaning of our lives on earth, we can scarcely do better than to try to assimilate Paul's confident trust that God is with us, continually working for our good.