The Book of Tobit
Chapter 2
¹. Then during the reign of Esar-haddon I returned home, and my wife Anna and my son Tobias were restored to me. At our festival of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of weeks, a good dinner was prepared for me and I reclined to eat.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 1)
Oh God I pray for many families who have been forced to separate due to issues such as wars, social unrest and or civil wars in order to seek refuge in other countries. I pray that such people are reunited so that they can enjoy the peace and love and order in their life united with each other and also with You Amen. I also pray for married couples that they make a new encounter and refresh their marriages by forgiving each other of the sins and hurts of the past and start living the present Amen.
². When the table was set for me and an abundance of food placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, "Go, my child, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our people among the exiles in Nineveh, who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back."
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 2)
Oh God my Father, although Tobit was during, a peak moment of reconciliation with his family during which he was rewarded in abundance, Tobit still remained faithful to You my God and Father and stuck to his God-given values. Instead of filling himself up excessively with food and alcohol as usually happens during Christmas dinner or weddings, he chose to share with others who were in need. I pray oh God my Father that we follow such exemplary ways Amen.
³ So Tobias went to look for some poor person of our people. When he had returned he said, "Father!" And I replied, "Here I am my child." Then he went on to say, "Look, father, one of our own people has been murdered and thrown into the market place, and now he lies there strangled."
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 3)
At the time of our Christmas Lunch or dinner this year 2016 my God and Father before attacking our food and start eating and drinking more than our capacity, we are to stop and consider those around us, who have not a morsel of food to eat and first share with them and after sit down to dinner Amen.
⁴ Then I sprang up, left the dinner before even tasting it, and removed the body from the square and laid it in one of the rooms until sunset when I might bury it.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 4)
Oh God my Father I pray that as in the case of Tobit we have our priorities straight. Instead of focusing on our needs and pleasure we are to think of others and their needs Amen.
⁵ When I returned I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 5)
Oh God this is one of the most important lessons that You ever taught me. Once I have ended my day of work, I am to go home and leave my work and its preoccupations behind me and not keep on thinking about it when I am at home Amen. This is something that I try to practice every day my God and Father Amen.
⁶ Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said against Bethel, "Your festivals shall be turned into mourning and all your songs into lamentation." And I wept.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 6)
Oh God, my Father, Your Word is like a double-edged sword, because it penetrates the depths of my soul. There are moments when I feel encouraged when I pray by means of it, however, it is so true that it makes me aware of myself, and of the mistakes of both the past and the present which tend to make me feel sad and even cry.
⁷ When the sun had set, I went and dug a grave and buried him.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 7)
Many times oh God my Father instead of facing our issues we try to bury them. We try to alienate ourselves from thinking about our issues, however, since they are not resolved, they will come back to haunt us, like evil spirits and wake us up from our dream world. Amen.
⁸ And my neighbors laughed and said, "Is he still not afraid? He has already been hunted down to be put to death for doing this, and he ran away; yet here he is again burying the dead!"
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 8)
Oh God my Father, one thing that I can never ever control is what people say about me, You or anybody else. Many people may say, that I had already worked as a social worker and it did not turn out as planned and I had to opt out again, but in truth, nobody knows what You have planned for me and my family not even myself. Therefore before judging others, it is best to keep this in mind that whatever people say, only God knows the reasons behind the events that take place during the course of our life Amen.
⁹ That same night I washed myself and went into my courtyard and slept by the wall of the courtyard; and my face was uncovered because of the heat. ¹⁰ I did not know that there were sparrows on the wall; their fresh droppings fell into my eyes and produced white films. I went to physicians to be healed, but the more they treated me with ointments the more my vision was obscured by the white films, until I became completely blind. For four years I remained unable to see. All my kindred were sorry for me, and Ahikar took care of me for two years before he went to Elymais.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verses 9 to 10)
Oh God my Father these verses remind me of when I experienced Irritable bowel syndrome, day and night I experienced chronic pain in my intestines and had it not been for Your intervention I would still be in the same state. Even though doctors tried to help, they could never find the solution. I thank You for healing me Amen.
¹¹ At that time, also, my wife Anna earned money at women's work.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my Father, there was a time when my wife used to be the breadwinner of the family, however in time You provided me with employment and now she is working at home, while I go to work and earn a decent wage for the family. Oh God my beloved Father I pray for those families who due to negative situations where compelled to experience such shifting in roles and duties Amen.
¹² She used to send what she made to the owners and they would pay wages to her. One day, the seventh of Dystrus, when she cut off a piece she had woven and sent it to the owners, they paid her full wages and also gave her a young goat for a meal.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, blessed are those men and women who love and support their families especially in times of great need. You shower us with all the necessary skills to enable us to earn a living, You have provided us a safety net by means of the Welfare System and also by means of people in the community, who without our being aware are knowledgeable of our situation and donate to us in many forms of service or goods. I remember when we had our one and only child. We experienced Your divine providence. At that, time my wife had been working since, I had been redundant due to the fact that the place where I had been working decided to stop functioning on the same week that I was to be married on.
Clothes for the baby and even toys and cash gifts started flowing in a rate, that I had never imagined. We had both been worried about the unexpected situation we found ourselves in, however You took great care of us by means of Your divine providence and by means of others who were our benefactors. Amen. I also thank You for the job that You had also given me shortly after and for the colleagues especially my friend Brigitte Micallef who donated us many clothes and encouragement I thank You again for such people Amen God bless such people.
¹³ When she returned to me, the goat began to bleat. So I called her and said, "Where did you get this goat? It is surely not stolen is it? Return it to the owners; for we have no right to eat anything stolen." ¹⁴ It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages." But I did not believe her, and told her to return it to the owners. I became flushed with anger against her over this. Then she replied to me, "Where are your acts of charity? Where are your righteous deeds? These things are known about you"
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God my Father this is a scene from everyday life. Squabbles that take place between couples especially in marriage. Even though the wife was not at fault, her husband still doubted her, even though he was a righteous person as was his wife. Many times oh God my Father, we cannot understand the outstanding limits of Your divine providence, and instead of giving thanks, we complain, doubt and become suspitious.
Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end this second chapter of the Book of Tobit with the following prayer:
Oh God my beloved Father, I place before You all the couples of the world, those who are in wedlock and even those who are not. Bless such couples with the power of the Holy Spirit, so that they are protected from the evil spirit of discord that nevr stops to create differences and lititgations in our relationships Amen. I pray that You never stop protecting the family. Thank You my God and Father.
². When the table was set for me and an abundance of food placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, "Go, my child, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our people among the exiles in Nineveh, who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back."
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 2)
Oh God my Father, although Tobit was during, a peak moment of reconciliation with his family during which he was rewarded in abundance, Tobit still remained faithful to You my God and Father and stuck to his God-given values. Instead of filling himself up excessively with food and alcohol as usually happens during Christmas dinner or weddings, he chose to share with others who were in need. I pray oh God my Father that we follow such exemplary ways Amen.
³ So Tobias went to look for some poor person of our people. When he had returned he said, "Father!" And I replied, "Here I am my child." Then he went on to say, "Look, father, one of our own people has been murdered and thrown into the market place, and now he lies there strangled."
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 3)
At the time of our Christmas Lunch or dinner this year 2016 my God and Father before attacking our food and start eating and drinking more than our capacity, we are to stop and consider those around us, who have not a morsel of food to eat and first share with them and after sit down to dinner Amen.
⁴ Then I sprang up, left the dinner before even tasting it, and removed the body from the square and laid it in one of the rooms until sunset when I might bury it.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 4)
Oh God my Father I pray that as in the case of Tobit we have our priorities straight. Instead of focusing on our needs and pleasure we are to think of others and their needs Amen.
⁵ When I returned I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 5)
Oh God this is one of the most important lessons that You ever taught me. Once I have ended my day of work, I am to go home and leave my work and its preoccupations behind me and not keep on thinking about it when I am at home Amen. This is something that I try to practice every day my God and Father Amen.
⁶ Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said against Bethel, "Your festivals shall be turned into mourning and all your songs into lamentation." And I wept.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 6)
Oh God, my Father, Your Word is like a double-edged sword, because it penetrates the depths of my soul. There are moments when I feel encouraged when I pray by means of it, however, it is so true that it makes me aware of myself, and of the mistakes of both the past and the present which tend to make me feel sad and even cry.
⁷ When the sun had set, I went and dug a grave and buried him.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 7)
Many times oh God my Father instead of facing our issues we try to bury them. We try to alienate ourselves from thinking about our issues, however, since they are not resolved, they will come back to haunt us, like evil spirits and wake us up from our dream world. Amen.
⁸ And my neighbors laughed and said, "Is he still not afraid? He has already been hunted down to be put to death for doing this, and he ran away; yet here he is again burying the dead!"
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 8)
Oh God my Father, one thing that I can never ever control is what people say about me, You or anybody else. Many people may say, that I had already worked as a social worker and it did not turn out as planned and I had to opt out again, but in truth, nobody knows what You have planned for me and my family not even myself. Therefore before judging others, it is best to keep this in mind that whatever people say, only God knows the reasons behind the events that take place during the course of our life Amen.
⁹ That same night I washed myself and went into my courtyard and slept by the wall of the courtyard; and my face was uncovered because of the heat. ¹⁰ I did not know that there were sparrows on the wall; their fresh droppings fell into my eyes and produced white films. I went to physicians to be healed, but the more they treated me with ointments the more my vision was obscured by the white films, until I became completely blind. For four years I remained unable to see. All my kindred were sorry for me, and Ahikar took care of me for two years before he went to Elymais.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verses 9 to 10)
Oh God my Father these verses remind me of when I experienced Irritable bowel syndrome, day and night I experienced chronic pain in my intestines and had it not been for Your intervention I would still be in the same state. Even though doctors tried to help, they could never find the solution. I thank You for healing me Amen.
¹¹ At that time, also, my wife Anna earned money at women's work.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my Father, there was a time when my wife used to be the breadwinner of the family, however in time You provided me with employment and now she is working at home, while I go to work and earn a decent wage for the family. Oh God my beloved Father I pray for those families who due to negative situations where compelled to experience such shifting in roles and duties Amen.
¹² She used to send what she made to the owners and they would pay wages to her. One day, the seventh of Dystrus, when she cut off a piece she had woven and sent it to the owners, they paid her full wages and also gave her a young goat for a meal.
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, blessed are those men and women who love and support their families especially in times of great need. You shower us with all the necessary skills to enable us to earn a living, You have provided us a safety net by means of the Welfare System and also by means of people in the community, who without our being aware are knowledgeable of our situation and donate to us in many forms of service or goods. I remember when we had our one and only child. We experienced Your divine providence. At that, time my wife had been working since, I had been redundant due to the fact that the place where I had been working decided to stop functioning on the same week that I was to be married on.
Clothes for the baby and even toys and cash gifts started flowing in a rate, that I had never imagined. We had both been worried about the unexpected situation we found ourselves in, however You took great care of us by means of Your divine providence and by means of others who were our benefactors. Amen. I also thank You for the job that You had also given me shortly after and for the colleagues especially my friend Brigitte Micallef who donated us many clothes and encouragement I thank You again for such people Amen God bless such people.
¹³ When she returned to me, the goat began to bleat. So I called her and said, "Where did you get this goat? It is surely not stolen is it? Return it to the owners; for we have no right to eat anything stolen." ¹⁴ It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages." But I did not believe her, and told her to return it to the owners. I became flushed with anger against her over this. Then she replied to me, "Where are your acts of charity? Where are your righteous deeds? These things are known about you"
(The Book of Tobit Chapter 2 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God my Father this is a scene from everyday life. Squabbles that take place between couples especially in marriage. Even though the wife was not at fault, her husband still doubted her, even though he was a righteous person as was his wife. Many times oh God my Father, we cannot understand the outstanding limits of Your divine providence, and instead of giving thanks, we complain, doubt and become suspitious.
Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end this second chapter of the Book of Tobit with the following prayer:
Oh God my beloved Father, I place before You all the couples of the world, those who are in wedlock and even those who are not. Bless such couples with the power of the Holy Spirit, so that they are protected from the evil spirit of discord that nevr stops to create differences and lititgations in our relationships Amen. I pray that You never stop protecting the family. Thank You my God and Father.
