The Dog, The Fish, The Angel And The Wife's Lover

This week, and only for two days this year, the Church reads from the Book of Tobit.   This is one of my favourite books of the Bible, and I think it is an excellent introduction to Scripture for those not used to reading it.  The story of Tobit, his son Tobias and their relation, Sarah, is a tender human story in which God reaches out to bring healing and assistance to people in need.   

The book is one of the Deutro-canonical books which were first included in Scripture in the Septuagint, the first Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible.  The Church accepts these books as Sacred Scripture and includes them among the canonical books, as does the Orthodox Churches.  During the Reformation, however, the new Protestant denominations rejected them as such, although many Protestants do read them and consider them important Judeo-Christian writings.  The Book of Tobit has found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

To be honest, I think this book reveals God's sense of humour and that great hope which faith brings, a hope which fills our hearts with joy.  Comic scenes in the book seem to outweight the tragic: the scene of Sarah's father out digging the grave as the family celebrate (with great apprehension) her marriage to husband number eight, is the best I think.   Perhaps the best prayer for a married couple is included as Tobias and his new wife kneel down to worship on their wedding night (how many newly married couples do that, I wonder?).  It is also the book where the Archangel Raphael is revealed, and where devotion to him as an intercessor for the sick begins.

And of course, there is the dog  (Sorry, I love dogs).   Here, preserved in Scripture (5:16) is the wonderful relationship between mankind and the pooch, a relationship that has existed for millenia and has been a source of joy (and yes at times frustration as Rover will not do what he is told - or there has been another "accident").   All life, we are told, is reflected in Scripture, how true, even our love for the adorable mutt.

Of course two of the main themes are fidelity, as revealed in Tobit's devotion to God and the Law, and God's healing love, as revealed in the ministry of the Archangel Raphael.  We also see the power of God over evil.  Tobias's new wife has been tormented by a demon who has killed her first seven husbands before the marriage was consumated because he was in love with her (there's real disordered love for you).   The situation seems hopeless, but God can overcome all and it only takes a whiff of smoke from the burning of  fish liver, to drive the demon away - a few tips there for the makers of The Rite.