The reading from Tobit reminds me that life is difficult sometimes, and that I need to bring my sorrows, my tears, and my struggles to God. I used to think that God might not want to hear my list of troubles, but I believe that God is with us in our pain. God is present to us and our whole world all the time, and in every moment. So it makes sense that God is with us, wants to help us, and seeks us out when we are in pain – just like he sent an angel to help Tobit and Sarah. The question I have for myself as a follower of Jesus is: how do I seek God out when I am in trouble? Do I listen for God and the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life and my reflection? Do I take time to lift up my soul to God, with all that is there – my joy, my hopes, my gratitude, my fears, my sorrows, and my pain?
               
If God is God of the living, as Jesus points out in today’s Gospel from Mark, then all of us, past and present, are alive in God. For me to be alive in God, I need to be aware that I live, move, and have my being in God who loves me beyond my imagining. God’s love and God’s constant presence are wonderful gifts for me, and yet I need to be aware of God’s presence in my life, God’s call every moment, and God’s love. God’s love for me and all of us is greater than our pain and our fear. We are called to “take it to the Lord in prayer”, in the words of an old spiritual.
               
I find myself grateful that my son has graduated from high school, that our family is able to pay for medical bills, and that God keeps inviting me to grow in my desire for Him. May we all find time to ponder God’s love and God’s presence in our lives each day, as we seek the face of our Savior and Redeemer.