The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
“In terms of faith, what brings meaning and integration to one's experience, the facts are quite secondary. It's the story (and not the facts) that grips the imagination, impregnates the heart, and animates the spirit within...” Diarmuid O'Murchu, Quantum Theology
-----
When I began preparing this homily I went back to some notes from Brother Alex in which he reminded us guest preachers that the purpose of the homily is to talk about at least one of the readings in the lectionary of the day. He also offered exegetical or editing help if we needed it. The readings for today are on one hand obscure and on the other hand very well known. Usually the homilist speaks about the Gospel. We've heard sermons on today's gospel - Jesus calling the fisherfolk to follow him - many times and my relationship with being called to follow Christ is complex and full of too much drama to deal with in a homily. So I turned my attention to the Book of Tobit, which is where today's first reading comes from. After exchanging emails with Brother Alex about this topic, I offer you these words -much more concise than Draft #1 - about Tobit: (show redacted drafts)
But first, a little history. The Book of Tobit was written sometime during the 2nd century before Christ by an unknown author in an unknown place. It's considered a transitional book that continues the story of daily life of the Jews from the Hebrew Testament into the New Testament and the era of Christ. Many of you may not have run into this book before. There's no shame in that; in my 11 years of mentoring Education for Ministry I never ran into it either. The Book of Tobit is included in the apocrypha. In Protestant and Jewish contexts the word Apocrypha is used to mean books that are historically valuable but not divinely inspired. Older Protestant bibles like the King James version include the apocrypha in a separate section between the Old and New testaments. Some modern bibles, like the RSV and the NRSV include the apocrypha after the NT for historical and literary study but not as doctrine. A Protestant Bible might not even have the apocrypha printed in it. If you have a Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox Bible, you may have a better acquaintance with Tobit, because it is part of the OT in those Bibles. Catholics and Orthodox Christians generally avoid the term Apocrypha and instead say “Deuterocanonical” (which is so much easier to say) (“second canon") meaning the books are fully Scripture but were recognized and added to the Bible (or canon) later. So there are many possible ways you may have missed making the acquaintance of this story.
Tobit is a fairly short but detailed story. It is fiction; the characters in it never existed although the historical setting is true. There are two families, an evil demon, good kings, an evil king, an angel, a dog, a giant fish, magic, travel, jumps in logic, prayers of praise, elements of ancient folktales, huge feasts, fish guts, prayers of despair, bird poop, marriage, more prayers of praise, instructions, death and a satisfying ending. And all that in only 14 chapters.
Well, if Tobit is not doctrine, what's it doing in the Bible? What does it have to say to us? Are there moral lessons here? Let's take a look at the story:
In the 8th Century, the days of the Assyrian Captivity, Tobit, a good and pious man, lived in exile in Nineveh, with his wife, Anna, and son Tobias. While living in Israel Tobit was widely recognized for his many acts of charity and his generosity in the sacrifices he made regularly at the temple in Jerusalem. Even in captivity he remained steadfast in his worship, upholding Jewish dietary laws, and feeding and clothing the poor. If Tobit saw that any Jewish person had died and had been thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh he would go bury them. Doing this was against the King's law and was punishable by death.
One night after burying a Jew who had been strangled Tobit becomes blind after he falls asleep and bird droppings fall into his eyes. Because of his blindness he can no longer work. He falls into a great sorrow and depression. He prays to God bewailing his life as a captive and now also as a blind man. He asks God whether it wouldn't be better for him to die than to continue this life.
Meanwhile (in Media) on the other side of the country a young cousin of Tobit's named Sarah is having her own troubles. She has been given in marriage to seven different men but a jealous demon kills each of the men before they have a chance to consummate the marriage. Sarah is depressed beyond belief and fears that she will never be able to marry. She also prays to God asking for death; she thinks that she should hang herself because she is no good to her family. God hears the prayers and sends the Angel Raphael (um, no relation), disguised as a fellow Israelite, to heal both Sarah and Tobit and to bind up the demon.
Tobit sends his son Tobias to Media to retrieve a debt. Raphael accompanies him, along the way instructing Tobias in how to get rid of the demon and then to wed Sarah. They finally return to Nineveh after weeks of wedding celebrations. Tobit and Anna have been worrying and mourning fearing that Tobias is dead. But with Raphael's help Tobias cures his fathers' blindness. Raphael finally reveals to Tobit and Tobias who he really is. They fall on their faces but he says "Don't fear - you will be safe. Just praise God forever." And Raphael disappears. The two men wonder at the amazing works of God and acknowledge that indeed it had been an Angel of the Lord that had appeared to them and helped them. Tobit concludes the action by offering a long prayer of praise and gratitude, - the second half of the prayer was the First Reading this morning. In it he rejoices for all the blessings that God had given him - the safe return of his son, the healing of his eyes, the many gifts from Sarah's parents, and the continuation of his lineage.
In the epilogue of the book, Tobias does honors to his father and mother by providing great funerals for them, a task which he also willingly takes on for his in-laws. Tobias lives to a great age of 127 but before he dies, he does see the fall of Nineveh and is able to rejoice.
For the sake of time I have skipped over a lot of details of the story in this summary. But there are several themes that are prominent even in this short format:
The power of prayer. The characters I've introduced you to - Tobit, Anna, Sarah, and Tobias - all pray intensely, not only for help but also in praise of God. The prayers are long and powerful, and God does respond to the cries for help. And Raphael makes it clear that it is not just magic that vanquishes the demon Asmodeus but coupled with prayers asking for blessings on the marriage that completes the healing of Sarah. Magic is incomplete without God.
Tobit's devotion to his faith and his attention to the commandments. Tobit takes care of widows and orphans, and he gives generously of goods and money to those in need. He is especially observant of the Jewish proscriptions regarding burial. He doesn't listen to his neighbors' taunts as he buries the lone bodies. Nor does he let the situation of his exile in Assyria sway him from his religious beliefs as it has many of his acquaintances. He does not eat the food of the gentiles but follows Jewish law there also. When he sends Tobias off on his journey, he instructs him in a manner similar to how Polonius in Hamlet instructs Laertes, at great length, of many things that he should be aware of and that should govern his behavior. All that he teaches Tobias is based on the commandments.
The significance of family. There are several instances in the book where family question other members of the family, learning of ancestry and verifying Jewish heritage. Tobit is insistent that his son marry within the Jewish faith - "a nice Jewish girl", if you will. It is important to him to continue the Jewish lineage. Sarah's parents are just as concerned about continuing that lineage and they support the wedding of Tobias and Sarah for that purpose. Anna is a rock in this family. When Tobit goes blind, he cannot work so Anna takes on work sewing and weaving and does it very well. For eight years not only is Anna the only income earner but she becomes the "chief cook and bottle washer" of the household. She dotes on her son and is inconsolable when Tobit sends Tobias off to on his long journey to Media.
If this short summary seems incomplete to you I recommend that you take some time to read the book of Tobit - it doesn't take long. You will then see how rich it is in its Jewish piety and how the sound moral teachings of this book are given voice.
May we be as charitable and faithful as Tobit, as loyal as Tobias, as loving as Mother Anna, and like all in this story may we praise God without ceasing. Amen.