Thank God

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/060917.cfm) reminds me that I should never forget to thank and praise God, especially after my prayers have been answered. 

It is easy to pray and ask God for favors. In fact, when we pray, we almost always ask for something from Him. However, it is not as easy to remember to thank him for all these blessings and answered prayers. It is easy to spend time praying on our knees and asking him for things, but not as easy to go back to thank him. And in today’s reading, we see someone who never forgot to thank God.

Tobit has experienced a lot of challenges. In the previous readings, we saw that he wanted to die. But when he was healed, he never forgot to thank God. He even went to tell people how great, merciful and powerful God is. He did not keep it to himself, and instead wanted to glorify God. We can see his joy as he welcomed his daughter in law.

Sometimes it is not easy to go back to thank God for all the blessings and answered prayers. Sometimes we just move forward and move on with our lives. We totally forget God. We should not. We should always remember to go back and give thanks. And as we move forward, we should give praise to Him. 

May we be reminded and inspired by Tobit not just to surrender to God in time of need, but also to thank God and glorify his name on times of happiness and joy.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another chance to love and serve you. thank you for answered prayers. Lord, I am sorry for the times I forget to go back and thank you for your blessings and answered prayers. Sorry for the times I am quick to just pray and ask, but not as quick to thank. Help me to make the decision to thank you always, to give you back the praise and glory that only you deserve. Help me proclaim you and glorify your name as I live. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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  June 9, 2017
Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 357

Reading 1TB 11:5-17

Anna sat watching the road by which her son was to come.
When she saw him coming, she exclaimed to his father,
"Tobit, your son is coming, and the man who traveled with him!"

Raphael said to Tobiah before he reached his father:
"I am certain that his eyes will be opened.
Smear the fish gall on them.
This medicine will make the cataracts shrink and peel off from his eyes;
then your father will again be able to see the light of day."

Then Anna ran up to her son, threw her arms around him,
and said to him, 
"Now that I have seen you again, son, I am ready to die!"
And she sobbed aloud.

Tobit got up and stumbled out through the courtyard gate.
Tobiah went up to him with the fish gall in his hand,
and holding him firmly, blew into his eyes.
"Courage, father," he said.
Next he smeared the medicine on his eyes, and it made them smart.
Then, beginning at the corners of Tobit's eyes,
Tobiah used both hands to peel off the cataracts.

When Tobit saw his son, he threw his arms around him and wept.
He exclaimed, "I can see you, son, the light of my eyes!"
Then he said: 

"Blessed be God,
and praised be his great name,
and blessed be all his holy angels.
May his holy name be praised
throughout all the ages,
Because it was he who scourged me,
and it is he who has had mercy on me.
Behold, I now see my son Tobiah!"

Then Tobit went back in, rejoicing and praising God with full voice 
for everything that had happened.
Tobiah told his father that 
the Lord God had granted him a successful journey;
that he had brought back the money;
and that he had married Raguel's daughter Sarah,
who would arrive shortly,
for she was approaching the gate of Nineveh.

Tobit and Anna rejoiced 
and went out to the gate of Nineveh
to meet their daughter-in-law.
When the people of Nineveh saw Tobit walking along briskly,
with no one leading him by the hand, they were amazed.
Before them all Tobit proclaimed
how God had mercifully restored sight to his eyes.
When Tobit reached Sarah, the wife of his son Tobiah,
he greeted her: "Welcome, my daughter!
Blessed be your God for bringing you to us, daughter!
Blessed is your father, and blessed is my son Tobiah, 
and blessed are you, daughter!
Welcome to your home with blessing and joy.
Come in, daughter!"
That day there was joy for all the Jews who lived in Nineveh.

Responsorial PsalmPS 146:1B-2, 6C-7, 8-9A, 9BC-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live. 
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts
The LORD shall reign forever,
your God, O Zion, through all generations! Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

AlleluiaJN 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMK 12:35-37

As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said,
"How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David?
David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said:

The Lord said to my lord,
'Sit at my right hand
until I place your enemies under your feet.'

David himself calls him 'lord';
so how is he his son?"
The great crowd heard this with delight.