SAINT EPHREM, DEACON AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Then Tobit went back in, rejoicing and praising God with full voice for everything that had happened. 

Imagine two screens in front of you, one above the other. On the lower screen, you see your life as it is now, including your struggles. But when you lift your eyes to the second screen, you see another picture: a God who sees you, knows what you are going through, and is working out a way to help you.

We can look at Tobit’s story this way. On the lower screen would be his exile, the loss of his property, his blindness, and his son’s long absence. On the second screen, we would see God’s angel, Raphael, working to bring healing and restoration.

Today’s first reading reveals the happy ending of this story, with Tobit “rejoicing and praising God with full voice for everything that had happened” (Tobit 11:15). But the truth is that God saw Tobit the whole time. He saw his sorrow, his losses, and his pain as he endured all these trials. So why didn’t God help Tobit sooner?

Perhaps because despite Tobit’s physical blindness, these difficulties gave him the chance to develop his spiritual sight. Through it all, Tobit learned to trust that God had a plan for his life and that he would bring something good out of the difficulties, even when it didn’t seem like it at the time. And so Tobit learned to persevere.

We can develop the gift of spiritual sight as well. When we are waiting for a resolution to some difficulty, we can lift up our eyes to see the bigger picture of God’s never-ending love and care for us. We may be tempted to think that God has forgotten us or doesn’t hear our prayers. But our faith tells us that God does see us, and he is using difficult situations to deepen our trust in him and strengthen our faith in his goodness.

Whatever long-held hope you have—whether for the restoration of a relationship, a physical healing, or the resolution of some circumstance—lift up your eyes to that second screen today. Try to detect the Spirit’s presence as he walks alongside you. Trust that he is working for your good, and praise him for his faithfulness.

“Lord God, help me to love and trust you even as I wait for your plan to unfold in my life.”

Tobit 11:5-17
Psalm 146:1-2, 6-10
Mark 12:35-37