Today’s Gospel reading recalls the story of Tobias and Sara in the Book of Tobit where each one of Sara’s seven husbands died on the night of their wedding. Through the help of Raphael the wedding of Sara to Tobias did not end as tragically as Sara’s previous seven weddings.
Raguel, Sara’s father, was grateful and blessed the Lord,
“May you be blessed, O Lord, with all pure and holy blessings. May the saints and all your creatures bless you. May all the angels and the elect bless you forever. . . . What I feared has not happened, but you have treated us with great kindness and have had mercy on these two who are only children. Have mercy on them, Lord, and give them your grace and protection so that they may be blessed with good health and great joy all their lives.” (Tb 9: 15 – 17)
Raguel’s beautiful prayer is a prayer for all of us when we see the many graces and blessings God has given each one of us.
Jesus affirms the resurrection of the dead and declares that marriage is not a concern in the after-life: “When they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry but are like angels in heaven.”
