*Sacred Scripture* The Angel Taking Leave of Tobias and His Family – Viktors
August 3
The Angel Raphael flies back up to Heaven and leaves Tobias and his family praising God. Artwork by Y. Viktors.
Tb 12:11-22
Raphael’s Identity.
11“I shall now tell you the whole truth and conceal nothing at all from you. I have already said to you, ‘A king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God with due honor.’
12d Now when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and likewise whenever you used to bury the dead.*
13When you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner in order to go and bury that dead man,
14I was sent to put you to the test. At the same time, however, God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah.
15I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord.”e
16Greatly shaken, the two of them fell prostrate in fear.
17But Raphael said to them: “Do not fear; peace be with you! Bless God now and forever.
18As for me, when I was with you, I was not acting out of any favor on my part, but by God’s will. So bless God every day; give praise with song.
19Even though you saw me eat and drink, I did not eat or drink anything; what you were seeing was a vision.
20So now bless the Lord on earth and give thanks to God. Look, I am ascending to the one who sent me. Write down all that has happened to you.”f And he ascended.
21They stood up but were no longer able to see him.
22They kept blessing God and singing his praises, and they continued to give thanks for these marvelous works that God had done, because an angel of God appeared to them.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/12
Saying the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always.
1-A prayer from Raphael the Archangel:
*While you are on this earth, you must praise the Lord God and give him thanks.
2-A prayer from Tobit and Tobias:
*They began to sing hymns of praise, giving thanks for all the mighty deeds God had done while his angel Raphael had been with them.
3-A simple Jesus prayer:
*Lord, Lord, Jesus Christ…Son of God…have mercy on me…Be kind to others…Work Hard…Be joyful.
4-Another prayer:
*When all that God asks of us is to be quiet and keep ourselves at peace-attentive to the secret work He is beginning in our souls-Be Empty and See That I Am God.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Jn 1:9–12