9th Week in Ord. Time, Friday – 9th June 2023 – Tobit 11,5-17; Mk 12,35-37
Joyful Emotions
The first reading records the return of Tobiah and his wife, Sarah, to the house of his parents along with God’s messenger, Raphael. In the absence of Tobiah, Hannah, his mother, was sitting beside the road, keeping a restless watch for her son’s coming. However, she became joyful on seeing her son coming. She does not immediately run towards him, but instead first informs her husband so that his worrying will be over finally. After Raphael’s instruction for healing his father, the narrative continues to express the emotions of Tobiah’s mother. She runs towards him and embraces her son. Thereupon, she expresses her relief, “I see you, my son; from now on I am ready to die”. It is an expression that manifests the sweetness of the much-desired sight that would cause her not to feel the pain of death. Thus, Hannah is cured of her spiritual blindness on seeing her son. Similarly, Tobit regains his physical blindness. His joy is unbounded on seeing his son and embraces him whom he calls, “the light of my eyes.” Thus, Tobit’s “eyes of faith” have been opened through affliction and suffering.
