Book of Tobit

I really like to read Tobit in the Douay Rheims version. It is more explicit in my opinion.

Question : Would marriages be better off today if we focused on Tobit's praise for Children and its warning on how the Devil prevails over those marriages based on lust ?

http://www.defendingthebride.com/bb/tobit2.html

John

@Spirit1333: nice account.

I believe angels also manifest themselves as someone in need.

How many times do angels come your way in diguise, like Rafael to help you out, give you counsel, walk with you on your spiritual journey, and more....

One time, as I was on my way to pick up my husband from work, I stopped to get gas and a big, tall, hefty, somewhat brusque man approached me to tell me that my tire was about to go totally flat. I didn't have a spare and I couldn't reach my husband (he was waiting outside and we didn't have cell phones). I was totally panicked! The man told me to get in his van. My heart jumped, I had no money for a cab, something told me to go in, thinking I could jump out if something happened, I went in to find his wife and two kids. They lived up north and we picked up my husband and they took us home way south. They were spiritual and gave us so much peace. We could only conclude they had angles by there side who they listened to when helping a young couple in need. Good is God. His angels make me happy.

Amen!

Another aspect in The Book of Tobit that I loved was the perseverance of all involved. Tobit never gave up in his quest to aid his neighbor (alive of dead), Rafael persevered in aiding Tobias from begining to end and vice versa Tobias listened to the council of his companion to achieve his journey's end.
En essense, when we perservere in our spiritual journey, God watches over us. He has also sent us a companion, our guardian angel to protect and guide us.
That we may never give up.

Tobit's merciful acts are so sweet and filled with the promptings of God. This is OT, so the law was still written on stone tablets. Before Jesus came and God wrote His law on the hearts of men. Tobit "gets" the mercy of God, and offers deep rivers of mercy to others in his life. I can't understand why he is always ridiculed (besides sinful people being mean).. But if we had a guy theoretically, living in town, who did all the things Tobit did on a regular basis - even in a sinful world - he would be loved by everyone. Tobit's example of mercy definately applies to me. i, as all Catholics, am called to daily and perpetual Spriitual and Corporal Works of Mercy. Beautiful, Spirit 1333, that you keyed in on mercy and compassion, and our call to holiness. I resoundingly agree. Well, in the whole scheme of being an instrument in God's great orchestra, I'm not a trombone or timpani who would resound. I'm more of a Triange. :0) But with all my triangle-strength I resoundingly agree! God bless.

When I talk about mercy I am thinking about Tobits mercy and compassion for the dead, burying them if they had been tossed outside the walls of Ninevah. He clothed the naked, fed the poor from the banquet put before him yet all he received from his pious action was ridicule.

Yashon and others, merciful and compassionate are just a couple of adjectives that made Tobit so very special. How does that apply to us? Jesus said in Mathew 25:35-46 "Whatsoever you do to the least of my Breathren that you do unto me" How merciful and compassionate are we in our daily lives? Do we see Christ in others, even in those we may not particularly agree with?
I know I am called to be holy, like Tobit lived his life, but I do fall short and know I need to work on this area.

I'll touch on the other adjectives I mentioned in my previous post in a bit.

I love rocks, a totally agree with your post, this is a story of such romance, it is beautiful.

I have two particular portions of Tobit that always draw me back to re-read it. And one lingering question.. I love the prayer Tobias prays to God, exulting Him, stating his pure motives for marrying Sarah (so beautiful!). I love the healing of Tobit's eyes by the (arch?) - angel Rahael. I wonder if the items Raphael chose to use are literal healing agents or symbolic. The heart and liver of the fish lain across the burning incense at their marriage bed to dispell the demon.. anointing Tobit's eyes wiht the gall..? It's mysterious to me. I also really love the prayer of praise at the end of the book ... it's after Raphael reveals his true identity and Tobit writes such a gorgeous prayer. It is, in my mind, one of the most romantic love story accounts in the old testament. I even like Sarah's father, Raguel who on the surface, seems to be the one without the grace of habitual faith and hope in God. He calls for Tobias' grave to be dug. He represents to me a very human, pragmatic, unintentionally ignorant person who just doesn't have any additional insights into the very good way it would ultimately turn out for his 'seemingly cursed' daughter who was under the jealous punishments of a demon through no fault of her own.

Hello Pat helensburgh,

Read the book of Tobit when you get a chance. Overall it is a short book with a lot of detail about angels, passion and valor. I think you will enjoy it.

Blessed Be!

Yahson75

Hello Spirit1333,

I would be very interested if you could elaborate more on just about all of your post. Maybe some more details about what you bring up will help the forum grow and prompt more discussion.

Blessed Be!

Yahson75