Tuesday, 29 September: Feast of the Archangels

Have you ever been surprised by a visitor? You weren’t expecting that person, and suddenly they show up in your life. Perhaps you meet them at a reception or in the train; somehow, their presence touches your heart and renews you. Something like this happens in the Book of Tobit. Tobit and Sarah are weary of years of prayer and suffering. They no longer see a way forward and in exasperation, both pray for death. They’re not faithless people; they're faithful people who have become exhausted from waiting for an answer. Have you ever felt this way?

Scripture tells us something neither can yet see: “The prayer of both of them was heard.” God's answer is unexpected: he sends Archangel Raphael who appears as a stranger and accompanies Tobiah, Tobit's son, on a journey. Through Raphael, God brings healing to Sarah and Tobit and restores hope to a family that had nearly lost it. I find this deeply encouraging because their story reminds me that God can be at work even in the long silence. Our anguish is not invisible to Him; there is reason to hope.

At times, waiting for an answer to our prayers can feel like the longest journey, like wandering in the desert of waiting. We're tempted to wonder, "is God doing anything?" The story of Raphael, however, invites us to trust that our prayer has reached the heart of God, even when we can't see what He's doing.

On this Feast of the Archangels, 29 September, we could pray: “Lord, help me to recognize how You are already at work in this situation.” And even: "Lord, give me the strength while I wait for you." This is what we mean in the Our Father when we say "thy will be done."

Archangel Raphael, you walked with Tobiah. You stayed with him through the journey. Walk with us, too. Especially where we're tired of waiting; where we don’t understand; where we need healing. Lead us on the path of hope and help us trust that God hears us and that his goodness is coming.

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