bed-time
"They said together, 'Amen, amen,' and went to bed for the night." —Tobit 8:8-9
The demon Asmodeus had killed Sarah's seven husbands, each one on their wedding nights. He was now about to kill Tobiah. Raguel, Tobiah's father-in-law, had already made plans to dig Tobiah's grave. But surprisingly, that night Tobiah had sexual relations with his bride instead of being buried. What did Tobiah do differently? How did he conquer the demon?
Tobiah's secret was prayer. "Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife, 'My love, get up. Let us pray and beg our Lord to have mercy on us and to grant us deliverance' " (Tb 8:4). The family and couple that "prays together stays together." This applied to Tobiah and Sarah in an exceptional way.
Today we have a legion of demons coming against married and family life. A certain kind of demon "does not leave but by prayer and fasting" (Mt 17:21, NAB). That is why married couples refrain from sexual relations "by mutual consent for a time, to devote [themselves] to prayer" (1 Cor 7:5). Couples must pray together or resign themselves to constant harassment from the evil one. Couples must pray together to have a fulfilling marriage and be the sign of Christ's love for the Church (Eph 5:32).
Prayer: Father, may every married couple reading this pray together tonight before going to bed.
Promise: "Therefore you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." —Mk 12:30
Praise: Marcia and Tom pray from One Bread, One Body each evening at the dinner table.
Reference: (Order our tapes to help you increase your prayer life: Daily Prayers on audio AV 62-3 or video V-62. Liturgy of the Hours on audio AV 89-3 or video V-89. Married Couples Praying Together on audio AV 116-1 or video V-116. Family Prayer on audio AV 59-1 or video V-59.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 22, 2007
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.