GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY – 8TH JUNE 2017

GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)

DATE: 8TH JUNE 2017

THURSDAY OF THE NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

FIRST READING: Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1, 9-14; 8:4-9

PSALM: Psalm 128: 1-5

GOSPEL: Mark 12:28-34

THEME: THE MARRIAGE OF SARAH

A prayerless person is like a ship on the high sea with no specific bearing. Such a person is easily driven and tossed about by the wind and goes around in circles. Prayer gives focus and leads to a divine destination. It puts the pieces of the puzzle of one’s life together and gives meaning to one’s existence.

The marriage of Sarah is a testimony of the efficacy of prayer. Seven men had sought to marry her but on each occasion the story of love turned sour – one by one each of the men died on the very night they approached her. It was believed that a demon (Asmodeus) was in love with her – you may call it spiritual marriage – and therefore she had become unmarriageable in relation to any man (cf. Tb. 3:8; 6:14-15). In fact, one of her father’s maid even insulted her: “You are the one who kills you husband” (cf. Tob. 3:8). However, when Sarah chose to pray, God chose to answer, and the answer of God was the coming into her life of a God-fearing man by name Tobias. Eventually the two got married.

When nothing seems to work, always remember there is still one thing that works – prayer. God’s ways of answering prayer are as mysterious as prayer itself. For example, Tobias’ initial intention for going to Media, where Sarah lived, was not to go and marry but to retrieve some money from someone but as divine destiny would have it, he found himself in the home of Sarah and they got married.

When you have prayed, trust God to answer. He answers in his own way and ‘in his time he makes all things beautiful.’

PRAYER: Eternal Father, I lay my case before your throne of grace and look up to you for your intervention. In you I trust and I am confident that with you all is well. Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen

Andrews Obeng, svd

DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES

BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)

“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).

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