Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1, 9-14; 8:4-9 / Mark 11:5-17
Whenever people say that a marriage is made in heaven, they are only saying one part. The other part is: so is lightning and thunder.
For those who are married, they will certainly agree. Marriage has its share of lightning and thunder, regardless of whether the marriage is made in heaven or not.
The prayer of Tobias in the 1st reading may have reminded some married couples that this was a reading that they chose for their wedding Mass.
It may also remind them of another thing - in the run-up to their wedding and in the flurry of wedding preparations, did they say this prayer together.
The marriage of Tobias and Sarah may be made in heaven, even the angel Raphael was sent to bring them together, but surely there was lightning and thunder so much so that Tobias asked Sarah to pray together so that God will bring them to old age together.
Surely for Tobias and Sarah, nothing was to be taken for granted, and more so for a life-long union in marriage, all the more God's blessings must be invoked.
If that is what it takes to keep a marriage together, then it would take no less to keep the commandment of love that Jesus stated in the gospel.
To love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, is certainly not possible without prayer.
But it is a commandment made in heaven, and there will be lightning and thunder in carrying it out.
But angels will be sent to help us to fulfill it. We only need to pray and invoke God's blessings to accomplish it.