Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/347

 treasures can  be  taken  away  from  us,  and  must  inevitably  be  taken away by  death,  whereas  our  prayers  and  other  meritorious  works  are real treasures  which  no  one  can  take  away,  but  which  will  go  into eternity with  us,  and  obtain  for  us  a favourable  judgment. Earthly treasures make  it  difficult  to  die,  but  heavenly  treasures  make  it  easy. Therefore our  Divine  Saviour  says:  “Lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures in heaven”  (New  Test.  XXI).

The prayer  of  praise  and  thanksgiving. A great  many  men  err  by offering  up  only  prayers  of  petition,  quite  neglecting  either  to  praise or thank  Almighty  God. The Angel  expressly  urged  Tobias  to  offer up prayers  of  praise  and  thanksgiving,  and  Tobias  was  in  the  habit  of doing  so.

The wings  of  prayer. Our  prayers  should  be  joined  to  fasting  and alms-deeds, or  in  other  words  to  works  of  self-denial  and  charity,  fey this means  they  have  greater  power,  are  more  pleasing  to  God,  and are more  surely  heard. The holy  Fathers  say  therefore:  “Fasting  and alms are  the  two  wings  with  which  our  prayers  fly  to  heaven.”

The sufferings  of  the  just  serve  the  double  purpose  of  proving them and  of  increasing  their  merits. “Because thou  wast  acceptable  to God,  it  was  necessary  that  temptation  should  prove  thee”,  said  the Angel to  Tobias.

Great awe  and  veneration  were  experienced  by  both  father  and  son when they  discovered  that  an  Angel  of  the  Most  High  had  appeared to them  in  the  form  of  a man. “Being seized  with  fear  they  fell  upon their faces  on  the  ground.”  How  much  more  reverence  ought  we  to feel  each  time  we  are  in  the  presence  of  the  most  holy  Sacrament,  in which  our  Lord  is  really  and  personally  present  with  His  Divinity  and sacred Humanity.

A good education  produces  good  fruit  for  several  generations. Tobias the younger,  having  received  a good  education  from  his  father,  brought up his  own  children  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord;  and  they  too,  in  turn, brought up  their  children  well. So it  happened  that  the  descendants of Tobias  “continued  in  good  life  and  in  holy  conversation,  and  thus were acceptable  both  to  God  and  man”.

Do you  keep  in  mind  that  your  holy  guardian Angel is  always  with  you? Do you  commend  yourself  to  his  care, and obey  his  inspirations?

Do you  take  pains,  like  young  Tobias,  to  be  a joy  to  your parents, and  to  spare  them  anxiety  and  vexation? Do you  return home as  soon  as  you  can,  when  you  are  sent  out  by  them  on an  errand?