Tobias the Elder, Tobias the Younger, and Sarah

A new and harsh affliction was added to all the others. One day, when he was weary from the care given to his brethren, Tobit was resting, lying at the foot of a wall. By chance, some dung from a swallow's nest fell into his eyes, and he became blind from it. God sent this trial to Tobit so that his patience, like the charity of His servant, might be an example to posterity. He remained firm in his convictions, without becoming saddened by his misfortune and without letting himself be overcome by mockery and insults; for, like Job, he had to suffer the reproaches of his friends and his family: "Where is," they said to him, "the fruit of that hope with which you distributed alms and buried the dead?" But he answered with gentleness: "Do not speak in such a way; for we are the children of the Saints, and we await that life which God is to grant to those who keep an inviolable fidelity to Him." His own wife did not spare him harsh words. She went to work outside every day and returned with what she had earned to live. Once, it happened that she received a kid and brought it to the house. When Tobit heard the kid bleating, he said: "Take care that it has not been stolen, return it to its masters; for it is not permitted to eat stolen things nor to touch them." Anna became angry and said to him: "One clearly sees the vanity of your hope and what your alms are worth." This is how she often treated him, for lively and weak natures become embittered in long sorrows.

Tobit, overwhelmed on all sides, began to pray to God with sighs and tears: "Lord," he said, "you are just, and all your judgments are right, and all your ways are mercy, truth, and justice. Remember me now, Lord; do not take vengeance for my sins, and do not recall to your memory my faults, nor those of my kin. It is because we have violated your precepts that we are abandoned to pillage, captivity, and death, and that you have made us the fable and the plaything of all peoples, witnesses of our dispersion... Treat me then, Lord, according to your will; command that my soul be received in peace, for it is more expedient for me to die than to live henceforth." A kind of discouragement had reached the heart of Tobit; existence seemed to him a burden. Now, at the same time, a similar prayer was rising from another deeply afflicted soul; for this world is but the vast empire of sorrow. There was in Ecbatana, in Media, a young Jewish girl named Sarah; her father was called Raguel. She had already married seven men successively. All had died immed iate Sara Wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. ly, suffocated by the demon Raguel Father of Sarah and relative of Tobit, residing in Ecbatana. Asmodeus, who holds under his empire men abandoned without restraint to coarse lusts.

One day, the unfo rtunate Asmodée Demon who killed the successive husbands of Sarah. Sarah was reproaching one of her father's servants for some offense. The servant replied with insolence and harshness: "May we never see son or daughter of yours on earth, you executioner of your husbands! Do you want to kill me too, as you have already killed seven husbands?" Sarah was extremely sensitive to these insulting words: she withdrew to her room, where she remained for three days and three nights without eating or drinking, in order to touch God with this penance. She persevered in prayer, thus conjuring the curses pronounced against her and striving to turn away the opprobrium that weighed upon her marriages. Finally, on the third day, she finished her prayer with these words: "May your name be blessed, O God of our fathers, who, after anger, return to mercy and forgive the faults of those who invoke you in the time of affliction! Either I was unworthy of those who were given to me, or perhaps they were not worthy of me, because you had reserved me for another spouse. But whoever honors you knows well that after the trials of this life he will be crowned, that after tribulation he will be delivered, and that after punishment he will obtain mercy." The sovereign God heard from the height of his glory the prayers of Tobit and Sarah, and they were answered. The angel Raphael, whose name means heavenly physician, took on a human form and came to heal the two afflicted ones.

Tobias, who had invoked death, believed that God was indeed about to call him to Himself; this is why he summoned his son, and, expressing his last wishes: "My son," he said, "listen to my words and place them in your heart as a fundamental thing. When God has received my soul, bury my body. You shall honor your mother all the days of your life; for you must think of the great and many perils she endured before your birth. Bury her near me when she has reached the end of her life. Remember God all the days of your life; take care never to consent to sin and to break the precepts of the Lord. Give alms from the goods you possess; do not turn your face away from any poor person; for thus the face of the Lord will not turn away from you. Be charitable as much as you can; if you have much, give abundantly; if you have little, give little, but with a good heart...". After having further recommended to his son the love of purity, justice, and wisdom, Tobias added: "I also warn you, my son, that in the time of your early childhood I gave ten talents of silver to Gabelus, of Rages in Media, and that I have the receipt in my hands. Therefore, make your efforts to find him and receive this sum of money, and return his obligation to him". And because this was all the fortune that Tobias was leaving, he said again: "Do not fear, my son; it is true that we are poor; but we will have rich treasures if we fear God, if we avoid evil and do good".

Young Tobias replied to his father: "Everything you have prescribed to me, I will accomplish". However, he expressed fears about t Le jeune Tobie Son of Tobit, protagonist of the journey to Media guided by the angel Raphael. he possibility of finding Gabelus and making the journey to Rages alone. "Go, however," the father replied, "and look for someone trustworthy to accompany you for a given wage". The son went out and met a young man of a happy countenance who seemed to be waiting to be employed for some service. Unable to suspect that it was an angel in a sensible form, Tobias said to him: "Where are you from, good young man?" The stranger replied: "I am one of the children of Israel". — "Do you know," continued Tobias, "the road that leads to the land of the Medes?" — "I know it, I have often traveled these roads; I have stayed with Gabelus, our brother, who lives in Rages". Tobias came to report all these things to his father, who ordered that the stranger be brought in. The latter, upon entering, wished long joy to the old man. "What joy," replied Tobias, "can there be for me, who sit in darkness and do not see the light of heaven?" The young man replied: "Take courage; soon God will heal you". Then he promised to lead Tobias to Rages and bring him back; the old man asked him of what tribe and family he was. The stranger replied: "I am Azarias, son of the great Ananias". The angel had undoubtedly taken the figure of Azarias, and this name, which means help of God, perfectly expressed the mission of the hea venly e Azarias One of the seven archangels, sent by God to guide Tobias and heal the afflicted. nvoy. The preparations being made and the farewells exchanged, the two travelers set out on their way. A friend and faithful guardian, the dog followed their steps.

As soon as they had left, Anna began to weep, saying: "You take from us the staff of our old age. Would to God that we had never possessed this money for which you are sending him! In our poverty, we could believe ourselves rich by seeing our son". — "Do not weep," said the old man, "our child will arrive safe and sound, and he will return to us in health, and your eyes will see him; for I believe that a good angel of heaven accompanies him and regulates everything that concerns him, and that thus he will return to us full of joy". This word calmed the mother's alarms, and she ceased to weep and complain.

However, the travelers arrived at the banks of the Tigris, where they spent the first night. Young Tobias went down to the river to bathe when an enormous fish lunged toward him. In terror, he asked his guide for help. The latter, having reassured him, ordered him to seize the fish, to kill it, and to keep its heart, gall, and liver, saying that these viscera were effective remedies for driving away the demon and curing blindness. Tobias obeyed. The next day they continued the journey, which lasted several days. Upon entering Ecbatana, Tobias said to his guide: "Where do you want us to lodge?" The guide replied: "There is a man here by the name of Raguel, who is one of your kinsmen and of your tribe; his daughter is named Sarah, he has no other children. Because of your kinship, all his goods belong to him, and you must marry his daughter; ask for her then from her father, and he will give her to you in marriage." — "I have heard," replied Tobias, "that she has successively married seven husbands, and that they died because a demon killed them. I fear, therefore, that a similar thing might happen to me, and that, as I am an only son, I might sadden and lead to the grave the old age of my parents." Raphael then made him understand that this misfortune had only reached men given over to coarse inclinations, and that one could escape it through prayer and pure intentions.

Raphael and Tobias entered Raguel's house, who received them with joy, although he did not yet know them. However, after looking at Tobias, he said to his wife: "How this young man resembles my kinsman!" Then, addressing his guests: "Where are you from, our young brothers?" — "From the tribe of Naphtali, in captivity in Nineveh." — "Do you know Tobias, my kinsman?" — "We know him," they replied. And, as Raguel spoke very well of him, the angel continued: "Tobias, of whom you speak, is the father of this young man." Then Raguel, throwing himself into his arms, embraced him, shed tears, and said: "Be blessed, my child, for you are the son of a great and good man." And his wife and Sarah their daughter, moved with tenderness, began to weep as well; there is so much charm in family affections, and so much room for sweet emotions in the hearts of exiles!

After a few moments of conversation, Raguel had a sheep killed and a feast prepared for the travelers. And as he invited them to sit at the table, Tobias said to him: "I will neither eat nor drink today unless you consent to my request, by promising to give me Sarah, your daughter." At these words, Raguel was seized with fear; he thought of the death of the seven husbands and feared for his kinsman a fate just as tragic; in his perplexity, he remained silent. But, the angel having reassured him about the destinies of Tobias, he consented to the expressed desire: "Doubtless," he said, "God will have let my prayers and my tears rise up to Him; and I believe that He has permitted this journey so that my daughter might marry someone of her own kin, according to the law of Moses. Thus I will give you my daughter." And, taking Sarah's right hand, he placed it in the right hand of Tobias: "May the God of Abraham," he said, "the God of Israel and the God of Jacob be with you, may He Himself unite you, and may His blessing be fulfilled in you." Then the marriage contract was drawn up, and a feast was held while giving thanks to God.

When evening came, Sarah began to weep, trembling that the joy of this day might be followed, the next day, by bitter sadness and new mourning; her mother strove to reassure her. However, the two spouses retired. Faithful to the prescriptions of his guide, Tobias burned in the nuptial chamber the heart and liver of the fish, which he had kept; then he warned Sarah of their common obligation to ward off all peril through prayer. He himself prayed, invoking God with purity of heart and confidence. For her part, Sarah said: "Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; let us both reach old age in health."

Raguel was in great alarm. Toward daybreak, he said to his wife: "Send one of your maids to see if our son is not dead." The wife sent one of her maids, who returned to announce that Tobias was alive. In their pious gratitude, the parents cried out: "We bless You, Lord God of Israel, because what we feared did not happen; for You have shown us mercy, and You have driven away the enemy who was pursuing us."

In his joy, Raguel had a great feast prepared, to which he invited his neighbors and friends. He implored Tobias to remain in Ecbatana for fourteen days; he immediately gave him half of his possessions, declaring in writing that after his death the other half would also go to his son-in-law. Tobias, however, was thinking of Gabelus: after thanking Azarias for his such fortunate care, he begged him to go himself to Rages to find Gabelus, remind him of his debt, and bring him to the wedding: "For you know," he said, "that my father is counting the days; and if I delay even a little, his soul will be in distress. You also see how Raguel presses me, and that I cannot resist his entreaties." Azarias took four servants and two camels, and set out for Rages. Having found Gabelus, he received the sum due and returned his bond to him; then he informed him of the things that had happened to young Tobias and brought him to the wedding. It was a great joy for Gabelus, who embraced the son of his benefactor while weeping, and covered the future of his young friend with his most religious and tender wishes.

While the fixed days were passing in festivities at Ecbatana, they were lengthening into sorrows and anxieties at Nineveh. Old Tobias, seeing that there was a delay, said: "Why these delays, and who can be keeping my son? Perhaps Gabelus is dead, and there is no one to return the money." He therefore gave himself over to deep sadness, and Anna, his wife, was in despair: they wept together.

As if Raguel had suspected the fears that were agitating the family in Nineveh, he wanted to inform them by a message of the state of young Tobias, who, in this way, would have remained longer in Ecbatana. But, unable to overcome the resistance of his son-in-law, he gave him Sarah with half of what he possessed in servants and herds, and with a large sum of money. Then he said: "May the holy angel of the Lord be on your journey and protect you; may you find your parents in good health, and may my eyes see your children before I die!" Raguel and his wife embraced their daughter, and they let her go, warning her to honor her new parents, to love her husband, to govern her house with wisdom, and to keep herself pure from all reproach.

They set out; they had covered about half the distance in eleven days of travel. The angel then proposed to young Tobias to speed ahead, while Sarah would follow slowly with her servants; then he added: "Take the gall of the fish, for it will be needed." And, later, he said again: "As soon as you enter the house, you will adore the Lord your God and give him thanks. Then, approach your father and embrace him; then place on his eyes this fish gall that you are carrying. Know that soon after, your father's eyes will open; he will see the light of heaven and will rejoice at the sight of you."

They continued the journey. Meanwhile, Anna went every day to sit by the road on the top of a mountain, from where her gaze extended over a vast horizon. Her eye was searching for the traveler in the direction of Media, when at last she discovered him from very far away and recognized him. She returned in haste to inform her husband of the happy news. The dog, which had followed its young master on the road, took the lead and ran to bring the two old people the liveliest caresses: this was its way of announcing the joyful return. Tobias rose, and, blind as he was, felt his way with his feet and tried to run; then he gave his hand to a servant and advanced to meet his son. The son arrived, rejoined his parents, who held him in their arms while weeping with joy. All together they adored God, who had blessed the journey and favored the return.

Moved by a feeling of filial piety, young Tobias placed the fish's gall on his father's eyes. After half an hour of waiting, a white film detached itself from the diseased organ, and the old man recovered his sight. His wife and all those who knew him joined him in thanking God for such a benefit. Sarah could only arrive after seven days; she brought the menservants and maidservants; numerous herds followed her; the money she had received from her father was added to the sum returned by Gabelus. Young Tobias recounted the various details of his journey and the affectionate care that Azarias had lavished upon him.

The old father took his son aside to know what reward should be offered to the faithful stranger; they agreed to offer him half of their goods. To this proposal, the angel replied by bringing their thoughts and gratitude back to God, the rewarder of good works: "When you prayed with tears," he said to the father, "and when, to bury the dead, you left your meal; when you hid the corpses in your house during the day, to bury them at night, I presented your prayer to the Lord. Because you were pleasing to Him, it was necessary that temptation should test you. Today, therefore, God has sent me to heal you and to deliver from the demon Sarah, your son's wife. I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand in the presence of the Lord." At these words, troubled and seized with fear, Tobit and his son fell face to the ground. "Be at peace," said the angel, "do not fear. I return to Him who sent me. As for you, bless God and proclaim all His wonders," and he disappeared. Things both so astonishing and so sweet moved the old man deeply, and, as if the sight he had just recovered were the expressive symbol of an inner illumination, he cast a long look at the times to come and announced in a sublime canticle the restoration of Jerusalem, a figure of the establishment of the Christian Church.

After recovering his sight, Tobit lived for many more years, which he spent in the fear of God and in the peaceful joy of a pure conscience. Near the end of his life, the old man called his son and the seven grandsons he had received from him; he predicted the end of the captivity, the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, and the coming destruction of Nineveh, and he added: "Now therefore, my children, listen to me; do not remain here; but, on the day you have buried your mother beside me in the same tomb, think only of leaving Nineveh; for I see that the iniquity of this city will cause it to perish." Indeed, when his mother had died, the young Tobit left Nineveh, taking Sarah, his sons, and his grandsons, and returned to his father-in-law in Ecbatana. Raguel and his wife were still living, enjoying perfect health. Tobit rendered them all the duties of filial piety and closed their eyes. He himself fell asleep in an honorable old age and went to reap the fruit of the virtues he had practiced on earth. Sarah expired holily, surrounded by a numerous posterity.

Tobit the father is depicted: 1° recovering his sight by the hand of his son: 2° carrying the bodies of his unfortunate countrymen and giving them burial.

As for young Tobit, he is seen depicted: 1° carrying in his hand the gall, the heart, and the liver of the fish, which will serve to restore his father's sight; 2° guided by an angel, during the journey he made in Media; 3° burning the liver of the fish and praying with Sarah to drive away the demon Asmodeus.

[APPENDIX: CULT AND RELICS. — THE BOOK OF TOBIT.]

The Greek Church includes both Tobit and Sarah in the number of the Just of the Old Testament whom it honors on December 19. The Latin martyrologies make no mention of them. There is no appearance that the bodies of the two Tobits and of Sarah were ever raised from the earth to be transported to the provinces of Christendom, and it is without any kind of foundation that certain authors have written that they were found in Rome in the 7th century, and that they had been transported with that of Job through the care of Bolliarius, King of the Lombards (656-652), to be deposited in Pavia. There is only one thing beyond doubt, which is that one sees in the catacombs of Rome representations of Tobit the Younger.

Our ordinary Bible Livre de Tobie Deuterocanonical book of the Bible recounting the story of the family of Tobit. s contain the Book of Tobit; it comes immediately after those of Ezra and contains fourteen chapters. One only needs to read it with a little attention to notice all the characters of truth. The simple and natural manner in which things are recounted there, the proper names of persons and places, the circumstances of time, the succession of the kings of Assyria, the beginning and the end of their reign, the manner of their death, the detail of an infinity of particularities that are found in this narration, are very sensible proofs that the one who composed it was not an impostor.

Objections have nevertheless been raised against both its authenticity and its canonicity; but one cannot reasonably doubt that, from the time of Saint Augustine, the Book of Tobit and the others that we call deuterocanonical were received throughout the Church as divinely inspired, and that they had an authority equal to that which was given to the books that had been placed in the Hebrew canon. At the very least, it is certain that it was from then on received into the number of canonical books in the principal Churches of the world, such as those of Italy, Gaul, Spain, Africa, and Alexandria. This sufficed for the Council of Carthage to declare it canonical, following this maxim of Saint Augustine: "With regard to canonical books, one must follow the authority of the Catholic Churches, which are in greater number, among which one certainly counts those that have deserved to be the seat of the Apostles and to receive letters from them."

It is commonly believed that the Book of Tobit was written by the two Tobits; at the very least, one cannot doubt that they left the material and the memoirs for it. Tobit the father speaks in the first person in the Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac, from the first chapter to the fourth. In chapter XII, we read that the angel Raphael, before leaving them, ordered them to write everything that had happened to them. For, if one reads in the Vulgate: "Tell all these wonders," there is in the Greek and in the Hebrew: "Write in a book everything that has happened to you." And, in chapter XIII, it is said in the same texts that Tobit the Elder wrote the canticle of thanksgiving that one reads in the same place. What may also give rise to the belief that the two Tobits are the authors of this book is that it was written first in Chaldean, or in Syriac, which was the language of the country of the Assyrians and Medes, where these holy men lived.

Saint Jerome, h aving recove Saint Jérôme Father of the Church and author of the original biography of Saint Asella. red a Chaldean copy, translated it into Latin with the help of an interpreter. It is this Latin translation that we follow in our Bibles.

The Book of Tobit is very useful and very edifying; it contains several beautiful maxims of the purest and most sublime morality, it contains two excellent models of piety, disinterestedness, patience, and chastity. One also sees there a striking proof of the providence of God over those who are faithful to Him, and of the care that angels take of men. It contains the history of about one hundred and forty years, from the forty-sixth year of the reign of Uzziah, from where we place the birth of Tobit the father, around the year 3229, until the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah, which was that of the death of young Tobit, the year of the world 3380.

Excerpt from The Women of the Bible, by Mgr Darbuy; from The Saints of the Old Testament, by Bulliet; and from The History of Ancient and Ecclesiastical Authors, by Dom Cellier.