The Book of Tobit Chapter 3

 

The Book of Tobit 

Chapter   3

 

 

¹ Then with much grief and anguish of heart I wept, and with groaning began to pray: ² "You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; all your ways are mercy and truth; you judge the world.

 

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verses 1 to 2)

 

Oh God my beloved Father as found at the end of Chapter 3 of the book of Tobit which is carried forward in Chapter 3 Tobit is feeling sad for what he had considered being a sin, which he had nothing to do. Moreover, he did not even give himself time to investigate and reflect if he was right or not. Many times oh God my beloved Father in our relationships with others especially in the married life we have the tendency to jump to conclusions, which may not always be true. We end up blaming each other for things that we may assume that the person did without having proof that the person had ever done the sinful act or not. I pray oh God my Father, that You give me a humble and righteous attitude so that I can be of sound judgment when necessary or avoid assuming and judging at all Amen.

 

³ And now O Lord, remember me and look favourably upon me. Do not punish me for my sins and for my unwitting offenses and those that my ancestors committed before you. They sinned against you, ⁴ and disobeyed your commandments. So you gave us over to plunder, exile, and death, to become the talk, the byword, and an object of reproach among all the nations among whom you have dispersed us.

 

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verses 3 to 4)

 

Oh God, my beloved Father, I pray that You have mercy on me and my situation. I am part of a world that has become more sinful degenerative and corrupt in its ways. Even though we have greatly advanced in science and technology, we are using that same technology to destroy each other by creating missiles of a greater range so that many countries can be targeted. Scandals on food contamination are always on the increase and what we are eating is basically chemicals. We are guilty of the consequences of our sins and with our manipulation of nature to suit our ways. Mercy oh God my Father.  


⁵ And now your many judgments are true in exacting penalty from me for my sins. For we have not kept your commandments and have not walked in accordance with truth before you.

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verse 5)

 

Oh God, my beloved Father the forces of evil are putting pressure on me. My wife is totally against this blog and is inventing many excuses and blaming this blog for having separated me from her. You know that I invested many hours in relationship with You because You always have been and always will be my reason for being alive Amen.


⁶ So now deal with me as you will; command my spirit to be taken from me, so that I may be released from the face of the earth and become dust. For it is better for me to die than to live, because I have had to listen to underserved insults, and great is the sorrow within me. Command, O Lord, that I be released from this distress; release me to go to the eternal home, and do not, O Lord, turn your face away from me. For it is better for me to die than to see much distress in my life and to listen to insults."

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verse 6 )

 

Oh God my beloved Father, I also pray that You take my life away, for I feel totally sick and fed up of the life that I am living. The demands are increasing so much that I feel super stressed. Even though I am coping I feel overloaded and stressed. I pray that You help me in this situation Amen.

 

 ⁷ On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it also happened that Sarah, the daughter of Raguel was reproached by one of her father's maids. ⁸For she had been married to seven husbands, and the wicked demon Asmodeus had killed each of them before they had been with her as is customary for wives. So the maid said to her, "You are the one who kills your husbands! See, you have already been married to seven husbands and have not borne the name of a single one of them. ⁹ Why do you beat us? Because your husbands are dead? Go with them! May we never see a son or daughters of yours!"

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verses 7 to 9 )

 

Oh God my Father how cruel and insensitive we can be towards each other. We end up projecting our own hurts and jealousy as in the case of the maids on to innocent others by hurting their feelings. As You know my God and Father, I have been experiencing about 16 years of such emotional abuse, I, therefore, pray for so many others who have also experienced such abuse or in any other form Amen. 



¹⁰ On that day she was grieved in spirit and wept. When she had gone up to her father's room, she intended to hang herself. But she thought it over and said, "Never shall they reproach my father saying to him,"You had only one beloved daughter but she hanged herself because of her distress.' And I shall bring my father in his old age down to sorrow to Hades. It is better for me not to hang myself, but to pray the Lord that I may die and not listen to these reproaches any more."

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verse 10)

 

Oh God my beloved Father during such moments of stress and persecution the theme of death comes easily to mind, however although this may sound to be a 'quick fixer' to solve our current issue of persecution and stress, I am to keep in mind that my life has been lent to me, and therefore it is not my own. Moreover, the death of one person may have negative side effects on others such as family and others of our inner circles such as parents who may take our death so hard that they may either die themselves or end up overwhelmed themselves by the pain and anguish.

In the face of such people who attempt to make our lives a misery, it is best to trust You, my God and Father, stand up on our own two feet and be assertive and face our oppressor in a humble but firm way. I invite you to click on the following link in order to view techniques that help us become assertive in our ways.

Assertiveness training (credit to RealTrainingRightNow) 

 

¹¹ At that same time, with hands outstretched toward the window, she prayed and said, "Blessed are you, merciful God! Blessed is your name forever; let all your works praise you forever, 

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verse 11)

 

Oh God, my blessed Father, this is indeed a positive lesson of growth in our relationship and more in that of my relationships with the rest of humanity in my daily life interactions. Although Sarah was being defamed by her husband she did not curse him or go and file a report at the nearest police station or report her husband to the high priest, she turned to You and blessed Your Holy name, and praised that others do the same. Amen. I pray that when harassed or persecuted I turn to You in blessing and pray for those who persecute me and not curse myself, them or maybe even You, my God and Father Amen.


¹² And now, Lord, I turn my face to you, and raise my eyes toward you. ¹³ Command that I be released from the earth and not listen to such reproaches anymore.

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verse 12 to 13)

Oh God, my Father, my prayer is similar but not the same. I pray that You give me the coping skills to live in this world, and also the power not to be affected by what it says or what it does. I pray that remain detached from the ways of the world Amen.


¹⁴ You know, O Master, that I am innocent of any defilement with a man, ¹⁵ and that I have not disgraced my name or the name of my father in the land of my exile. I am my father's only child; he has no other child to be his heir; and he has no close relative or other kindred for whom I should keep myself as wife. Already seven husbands of mine have died. Why should I still live? But if it is not pleasing to you, O LORD to take my life hear me in my disgrace."

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verses 14 to 15)

Oh God my beloved Father, You are aware as in the case of Tobit, that since I have been in this process of separation I have not defiled Your name or my name with any woman. Now that You have given me the opportunity to start again, please help me to live for You alone and think only of the things of the kingdom and not of the world Amen.


¹⁶ At that very moment, the prayers of both of them were heard in the glorious presence of God.

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verses 16)

Oh God my blessed Father You promised us that when we pray for something in Your name united in the presence of others You will be in our midst and in Your good and Godly time You will always answer our prayers. May we all be convinced of this Amen.


¹⁷ So Raphael was sent to heal both of them: Tobit, by removing the white films from his eyes, so that he might see God's light with his eyes; and Sarah, daughter of Raguel, by giving her in marriage to Tobias son of Tobit, and by setting her free from the wicked demon Asmodeus. For Tobias was entitled to have her before all others who had desired to marry her. At the same time that Tobit returned from the courtyard into his house, Sarah daughter of Raguel came down from her upper room.

(The Book of Tobit Chapter 3 verse 17)

Oh God, my beloved Father, I pray that You send Your servant Raphael to clean up my vision so that my vision will be your vision so that I can see like You and even feel like You and not like me Amen. I pray that I am able to see the true nature of mankind meaning both the positive and even the negative Amen.


Oh God my beloved Father I would like to end the third Chapter of the Book of Tobit with the following prayer:


Many times oh God my beloved Father, we think we may be seeing our reality as it really is, however in time You make us realize how blind we are and that our perception of reality is far from being accurate. Therefore I pray that You help us see from behind the clouds of false perceptions and perceive our psychosocial and spiritual reality Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

The Book of Tobit Chapter 2

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.  

The Book of Tobit Chapter 1

 

Book of Tobit 

Chapter 1

1. This book tells the story of Tobit son of Tobiel son of Hananiel son of Aduel son of Gabael son of Raphael son of Raguel of the descendants of Asiel of the tribe of Naphtali, 2. who in the days of King Shalmaneser of the Assyrians was taken into captivity from Thisbe, which is to the south of Kedesh Naphtali in Upper Galilee, above Asher toward the west, and north of Phogor.

(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses to 2)

Oh God my Father each day of my life as in the case of Tobit, a chapter is written, thus forming an entire book covering the date of my conception to the date of my death. In Your eyes oh God my Father no detail is left out. You know the entire story from beginning to the end. I accept all as being according to Your Will Amen.





3. I Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life. I performed many acts of charity for my kindred and my people who had gone with me to exile to Nineveh in the land of the Assyrians. 4. When I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was still a young man, the whole tribe of my ancestor Naphtali deserted the house of David and Jerusalem. This city had been chosen from among all the tribes of Israel, where all the tribes of Israel should offer sacrifice and where the temple, the dwelling of God, had been consecrated and established for all generations forever.





(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 3 to 4)





Oh God, my Father I am not the good person that Tobit was, however throughout my life I have always tried to be of help to others in many ways. As You know well enough I have experienced a close call in almost being physically abused by a priest who had his home in Malta and who even had a church where people attended mass at his home This priest promised to ordain me a priest and send me to study in Rome if I let him have his way with me. I pray for this priest who is now dead and for all priests so that they consider if their place is still in the Roman Catholic Church and if they are physically and Spiritually or psychologically able to carry out such a ministry. Amen 




5. All my kindred and our ancestral house of Naphtali sacrificed to the calf that King Jeroboam of Israel had erected in Dan and on all the mountains of Galilee. 6. But I alone went often to Jerusalem for the festivals as it is prescribed for all Israel by an everlasting decree. 




(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 5 to 6)




Oh God my Father, will there be faith left in this world at the time of Your second coming? At an early stage, of life on earth, there have already been cases of offering sacrifices to pagan gods. During our times we sacrifice to the gods of commodities, luxury and money and even fashion or all that has to do with the body that gives it central stage over the domain of the soul! However, in order to look on to the bright side of life, there are still those who although hassled by the trials of life, and undergoing testing according to Your will still proclaim to be Catholics and Christians Amen.



In order to have an idea of the total of Catholics in the world today I invite you yo click on the following link:-




Number of Catholics in the World  




Statistics from the Vatican





7. I would give these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar; likewise the tenth of the grain, wine olive oil, pomegranates, figs and the rest of the fruits to the sons of Levi who ministered at Jerusalem. Also for six years I would save up a second tenth in money and go and distribute it in Jerusalem. 8. A third tenth I would give to the orphans and widows and to the converts who had attached themselves to Israel. I would bring it and give it to them in the third year, and we would eat it according to the ordinance decreed concerning it in the law of Moses and according to the instructions of Deborah, the mother of my father Tobiel, for my father had died and left me an orphan. 9. When I became a man I married a woman, a member of our own family, and by her I became the father of a son whom I named Tobias.




(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 7 to 9) 




Oh God, how nice it is to base a family on solid Christian values. Tobit was given many good examples by his family such as being generous in his giving charity to others including the 'Church' of his time according to the laws that You had given them. The example became so engraved in his heart and soul that he kept this practice alive throughout his life. Oh, how I wish oh God that my family was that generous and that we would all be freed from the avaricious greed of human nature and be ready to donate freely to others Amen. 




10. After I was carried away captive to Assyria and came as a captive to Nineveh, everyone of my kindred and my people ate the food of the Gentiles, 11. but I kept myself from eating the food of the Gentiles.




(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 10 to 11)





Oh God, my Father when we are put to the test we show our true colours, our values, beliefs and most of all our faith. I pray oh God my Father that we pass the test when You decide to pass us through such delicate moments Amen. 




12. Because I  was mindful of God with all my heart, 13. the Most High gave me favor and good standing with Shalmaneser, and I used to buy everything he needed. 14. Until his death I used to go into Media, and buy for him there. While in the country of Media I left bags of silver worth ten talents in trust with Gabael, , the brother of Gabri. 15. But when Shalmaneser died, and Sennacherib reigned in his place, the highways inti Media became unsafe and I could no longer go there.





(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 12 to 15)





Oh God my Father when we place our trust in You, we see miracles take place. Even though the situation may be dull and desolate, You still provide us with the necessary support according to our needs. Amen.




16. In the days of Shalmaneser I performed many acts of charity to my kindred those of my tribe. I would give my food to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw the dead body of any of my people thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury it. 


(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verse 16)


Oh God my Father even at the risk of his life Tobit did not stop with his works of charity towards those of his family. Even though we face the risk of being ridiculed or physically harmed we are to remain firm in our faith and values. Tobit remained firm and committed in his love and respect, for human dignity so much that he used to bury those whom he found dead and not leave them to deteriorate in dishonour as if they had been slaughtered animals. Amen



17. I would give my food to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw the dead body of any of my people thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury it. 18. I also buried any whom King Sennacherib put to death when he came fleeing from Judea in those days of judgment that the king of heaven executed upon him because of his blasphemies. For in his anger he put to death many Israelites; but I would secretly remove the bodies and bury them. So when Sennacherib looked for them he could not find them.



(Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 17 to 18)



Oh, how nice it is to be of service for others even if this means putting one's life at risk for the benefit of others. Tobit oh God my Father is a mirror of You who gave out Your life for our redemption, without considering the pain of the consequences of our sins that You experienced during the harsh passion for our sake Amen.



19. Then one of the Ninevites went and informed the king about me, that I was burying them; so I hid myself. But when I realized that the king knew about me and that I was being searched for to be put to death, I was afraid and ran away. 20. Then all my property was confiscated; nothing was left to me that was not taken into the royal treasury except my wife Anna and my son Tobias.


 (Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 19 to 20)



Oh God my Father even though our actions may be good as in the case of Tobit, the forces of evil will stop at nothing to bring our good acts to an end. I pray oh God that You protect me from such forces so that I will continue to share these posts to those who are willing to pray on Your 'Good News' that is found in the Bible and benefit from all that You wish to pass on to us. Amen.



21. But not forty days passed before two of Sennacherib's sons killed him and they fled to the mountains of Ararat, and his son Esar-haddon reigned after him. He appointed Ahikar, the son of my brother Hanael over all the accounts of his kingdom, and he had authority over the entire administration. 22. Ahikar interceded for me, and I returned to Nineveh. Now Ahikar was chief cupbearer, keeper of the signet, and in charge of the administration of the accounts under King Sennacherib of Assyria; so Esar-haddon reappointed him. He was my nephew and so a close relative.



 (Book of Tobit Chapter 1 verses 21 to 22)



Oh God my Father when You take control of a situation in order to ensure our well-being everything is possible. You work in ways that we cannot see or imagine, but in the background and even in the foreground of our lives You are always at work, like a script in a computer programme or blog that stimulates the programme to launch at the user's request. Amen. Thank You, Jesus, for working wonders and miracles in our lives Amen.


Oh God my Father I would like to end the first chapter of the book of Tobit with the following prayer:-



Oh God my Father I pray that we have compassion and mercy for each other, especially towards those whose situation in life is already in a critical position. I thank You from my heart for always being active in our lives, even though many times we do not realise that You are working on our behalf as in the case of Tobit myself and many others Amen.

Thank You Jesus Amen forever and ever!