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| Raphael is companion in life |
Couched in between the Book of
Nehemiah and Judith can be found an endearing, heart-warming, uplifting and
inspiring short Book of the Bible with the title Tobit. Composed of only
fourteen short chapters, the story runs smoothly and quickly with simple but
profound messages for the whole world and at all times. The Word of God is like
a two-edged sword that pierces bone from marrow. Jesus reminds us that man does
not simply live on bread alone but on every word that issues forth from the
mouth of God. The Psalmist calls our
attention to the fact that the word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our
path.
In this short essay we would like to
focus upon one person present in this brilliant Biblical short-story and
literary masterpiece—the person of an angel, whose name is Raphael. Our prayer and hope
is that after reading and prayerfully reflecting upon the Book of Tobit and becoming
familiar with this simple and humble composition, that you will be comforted
with meeting, knowing, and loving a new friend that already knows you and loves
you—the Archangel Raphael.
Indeed this Archangel greatly desires
to walk with you, accompany you in this life so that he will be present with
you for all eternity, absorbed in the love of the Blessed Trinity for all
eternity.
TWO SERIOUS PROBLEMS: GOD’S POWERFUL
INTERVENTION THROUGH AN ANGEL….
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| Raphael and healing of the blind Tobit |
The Book of Tobit presents us with
two very serious problems from the outset! Two families are suffering
excruciating pains that do not seem to have an easy solution!
PROBLEM ONE: in the family of
Tobit. There are two Tobits—the father
and son. The father is a very good man!
During a meal, he leaves the table to help to bury the dead. But as it happens,
exhausted due to his strenuous work of burying the dead, he falls asleep, but
with his eyes open. Unfortunately, birds passing left their droppings that fall
into his eyes. To make a long story short, despite the intervention of the
doctors and their various remedies, the poor man ends up blind—not able to see
the light of the day, the color of the rainbow or the smiling faces of his
family members. Imagine his suffering and all because he sacrificed himself to
exercise a corporal work of mercy—to bury the dead!
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| Prayer before marriage consummation |
PROBLEM TWO: Not too distant from the residence of the two
Tobits lived Sarah, a distant relative to the family of Tobit. The suffering of
this young woman was beyond limits! Her most earnest desire was to marry a
young man and to form a wholesome and God-fearing family. However, the devil,
whose name was Asmodeus, intervened in a terrible fashion. Every time that
Sarah would marry, the wedding night Asmodeus would visit the room and slay her
new husband, leaving him dead and the poor young woman a widow. This did not happen once or twice, but six
times! The end result for Sarah was nothing less than total despair! The
thought came to her that the best solution would be to simply go up in the
upper room, get a rope and hang herself to end her endless misery!
Therefore, we are confronted with two
very serious family problems; on a human level, seemingly beyond solution! However, all things are possible for God if
there is faith. Indeed God can even move mountains. God will intervene in a
surprising, but very powerful way, not directly, but indirectly through the
mediation of one of His chief emissaries—an angel, better yet an Archangel,
whose name was Raphael. Actually the translation of “Raphael” could be rendered
“Medicine of God or “God heals”.
In short, Raphael is sent by God to
accompany the younger Tobit to the home of Sarah for the purpose of sealing a
marriage and avoiding future tragedies. On the way to the home, Tobit Jr. being
led by Raphael, as they walk along the shore of the sea, they grab hold of a
fish and cut out the liver of the fish which Raphael insists be brought with
them to the home of Sara and her parents—which is done!
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| Raphael watches over couples |
Upon arriving Tobit asks for the hand
of Sarah in Holy Matrimony. The parents consent to giving up their beautiful
daughter, who has suffered so much for having lost her previous six prospect
husbands. However, before retiring that night and consummating the marriage,
both Sarah and Tobit burn some of the gall of the fish—to ward away the evil
spirits. But even more important, they both pray that God will protect them and
bless their marriage. This being done in the name of God, the two are united in
holy Matrimony and the evil spirits take flight. Most likely the other
prospects died because they sought her for lustful motives rather than noble
motives of pure love! A great message
today for our youth! Thanks be to God
and thanks be to the intercession of the Archangel Raphael, “God Heals”,
Sarah’s problem was brought to a successful conclusion.
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| Raphael as patron of eyesight |
Now what about the problem of the elderly
blind man—Tobit Sr.? Upon returning from his wedding and arriving home with his
wife, accompanied by the Archangel Raphael, the angelic doctor insists on
prayer and also to taking the fish gall
that was used earlier before the wedding night, but this time to apply the fish
gall to the eyes of the blind—father.
Done with humility and obedience something consoling happened to the father of
Tobit. Something like scales that were
covering his eyes peeled off and he was able to see once again! Another major
victory and triumph over human evil—sickness, manifested by blindness! How
kind, loving and good God truly is!
Therefore, before our eyes this
Biblical passage manifests God’s loving and healing presence in healing two
families with almost unsolvable predicaments—blindness and the loss of prospect
husbands. Sadness to the point of despair was transformed into overflowing
light for the eyes and joy to the young romantic hearts!
We would invite all of you to choose
today a new friend—the Archangel Raphael, “God heals”. We will present a list of the specific areas
that this great angel can help you, come to your aid and lead you on to the
path that leads to holiness, happiness, and heaven!
SAINT RAPHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL AS
PATRON OF:
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| Raphael walk with us too! |
1.
TRAVELLERS. He led young Tobit safely to the home of his
future bride and spouse Sara. May Raphael accompany us and save us from the
many dangers we experience on our journey to heaven.
2.
FUTURE SPOUSES. It was Raphael that brought both Tobit Jr.
and Sarah together as future spouses.
Today more than ever let us consecrate our young people to Raphael so
that he might help them to make the right decision with respect to their
marriage vocation. One wrong choice can prove catastrophic. May this holy Angel
give them light and wisdom on this all-important choice.
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| Raphael as patron of the engaged |
3.
PURITY. Before they married they prayed together,
expressing their desire not to marry due to lust but for the noble purpose of
forming a family. May our young people, through the intercession of Saint
Raphael, pursue holiness of mind, feelings, body, thought and action!
4.
HAPPY MEETINGS. Furthermore, St. Raphael is the patron of
happy meetings or encounters. He was the
one that presented the young couple to each other by travelling with Tobit
Jr. How often do we have meetings and
encounters on a daily basis? How often
these meetings start with tensions and end worse? Why not make it a common
practice to invite the Archangel Raphael to be with you in your daily
encounters with people. Beyond a shadow
of doubt the meetings will be more peaceful and bear more abundant fruit. Try
it!
5.
JOY!
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, insists on being missionaries to the whole
world, in bringing the Good News of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to all
people. However, the Pope insists that we cannot be walking around with a
funeral face, but must radiate the joy of the Risen Jesus! The Archangel
Raphael, by his powerful intercession and will of Almighty God, transformed
tragedy and utter despair into an overflowing and exultant joy! Blindness into
sight and death into the joy of married love! May you choose the Archangel
Raphael to be your travelling companion in life and he will preserve you in a
constant state of joy of heart. Saint Paul exhorts us: “Rejoice in the Lord; I say it once again:
rejoice in the Lord!” (Phil. 4:4)
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| Raphael means God heals! |
6.
PATRON OF EYES. It was through the intercession of the
Archangel Saint Raphael that this poor blind man, Tobit Sr. recovered his
sight, by the application of the remains of the fish. How important today in
our modern society to consecrate our eyes to Saint Raphael, Saint Lucy, and to
the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In a pornographic society where so many people
are addicted to the impure image—TV., internet, movies, indecent magazines,
billboards, etc.—we must have some powerful intervention. May Saint Raphael
help us to walk on the path of holiness and purity. May he help us to avoid the
near occasion of sin; may he help us to control our eyes which are truly the
mirror of our soul. May this great angel help us to live out the
Beatitude: “Blessed are the pure of
heart, for they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)
7.
PATRON OF PRAYER—THANKS AND PRAISE. At the end of this heart-warming story, the
Archangel Raphael does not attribute the triumphs and successes to himself. On
the contrary, the angel points to God and praises and thanks God and invites
Tobit, the family as well as all of us to render praise and thanksgiving to God
who is the author of all good gifts—sight, health, healing, marriages and
vocations. May this Glorious Archangel foster in our hearts an attitude of
perpetual gratitude and a desire to constantly praise the good God for all the
gifts He has so generously bestowed upon us.
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| Raphael teach us the art of prayer |
In conclusion, you are never alone!
Starting today, why not embrace a new friend, and angelic friend, an
Archangel—Raphael. Ask him to walk with you, to accompany you, to be with you,
to guide and protect you, to fill you with both purity and over-flowing joy. He
longs for your friendship. If accepted he will be your strong and faithful
friend on earth in time and for all eternity in heaven. Saint Raphael, be with
us; walk with us; pray for us; be our dear and constant friend!
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| Our Lady as the Queen of angels |
