This is a reflection on the Mass readings of the day.
A powerful theme repeated often in the Bible is that of just persons who are permitted to suffer, but who do so gracefully, humbly imploring God in prayer for help, and are ultimately brought to a situation better than the one with which they started. Job is one such person.
The narrative of Tobit reflects this theme as well. Tobit suffers under the permission of God, but he doesn’t complain or express impatience; rather, he accepts the suffering patiently, in humble submission to God’s will. Ultimately, God delivers him from this trial, and his life is better than before.
It is the pattern of Christ Himself, who takes flesh like any other human, suffers and dies in obedience to His Father’s will, and then rises with a human existence that is glorified.
It will be the pattern of our lives as well. All we need do is accept the trials that come our way with love, trust, and patience, praying to God for aid, and He will transform our lives through what we suffer into something utterly unexpected.
Ideas for conversation with the Lord: Ask Jesus to teach you patience with the sufferings that His hand permits, so that your purified and, in a sense, glorified life might be of assistance to Him for the eternal welfare of others.
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