Then Raguel blessed the God of heaven with these words: “Blessed are you, O God, with every pure blessing. Let all your chosen ones bless you; let them bless you forever. Blessed are you for having given me joy; that which I feared did not occur. Rather you have dealt with us according to your great mercy. Blessed are you for showing compassion to two only children. Be merciful to them, Master, and keep them safe; allow them to live their lives fully in happiness and in mercy.”
Tobit 8:15-17
Dear God, I’m not sure if this is my first time to journal to you from the Apocrypha, but it might be. I attend Catholic Church with my wife so I suppose it was just a matter of time.
I love this prayer of a father for his children. In context, he was trying to figure out what you were doing for his daughter and the man she married. He wanted them to be blessed. He wanted them to be happy. He saw impossible circumstances for them, and he didn’t have faith that you could overcome them. But when he saw what you were doing he prayed this prayer in joy and blessing.
Father, you know my heart right now. You know the mountains I see that seem immovable. And, honestly, my faith in how this will all work out in the long run is probably greater than this father’s because I’ve seen you do it before. So please guide me. Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
In Jesus’s name I pray,
Amen
Emails to God 