1When they arrived in Ecbatana Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, take me straightaway to our friend Ragouel.” So Raphael led Tobias to Ragouel’s house and they found Ragouel sitting by the door of the courtyard.
2Ragouel said to his wife, Edna, “This young man is very like my cousin Tobit!” 3Edna questioned them, “Where have you come from, my friends?” They replied, “We are of the sons of Naphtali who live as exiles in Nineveh.” 4She asked them, “Do you know my kinsman, Tobit?” 5They said, “Yes, we know him.” She continued, “Is he in good health?” Then Tobias said, “Tobit is my father.”
6Ragouel ran towards him and covered him with kisses, then in tears he blessed Tobias and said to him, “Blessings on you, you are the son of a good and worthy man!” 7When he learned that Tobit had lost his sight he grieved and wept. “What a misfortune that a man who is so just and generous should become blind!” 8His wife Edna and his daughter Sara wept also and they received Tobias and Raphael with great kind ness. 9 ① They killed a sheep and served them numerous dishes.How God’s children marry
After they had bathed and washed, as they were relaxing before the meal, Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, tell Ragouel to give me Sara my kins woman. Talk about what you were saying during our journey, that the matter may come about and be accomplished.” 10Ragouel overheard the conversation and he said to Tobias, “Eat, drink and be merry tonight. You are the man who has most right to take Sara my daughter because you are my kinsman. Indeed it is impossible for me to give her to any other man but you, because you are my closest relative. But, my son, I must tell you the whole story. 11I gave her to seven husbands from among our kinsmen. They each died on the wedding night. But, for the moment, my son, eat and drink and the Lord will arrange things for you.”
Tobias said, “I shall eat nothing if you do not stop now and bring this matter to a conclusion.” Ragouel said to Tobias, “Take her from now on; I give her to you according to the Law of Moses and you have to understand that God himself gives her to you. Receive your kins woman, from now on you are her brother and she is your sister. She is yours from today and forever. Now God will bless you this night and may he give you both his mercy and peace.”
12He called his daughter Sara and taking her by the hand, he gave her to Tobias as his wife. He said, “According to Moses’ Law, take her now and bring her to your father’s house.” And he blessed them. 13Ragouel then called Edna his wife; taking a sheet of parchment, he wrote down a matrimonial contract and they both affixed their seals. 14Then they all began to eat. 15Ragouel called his wife and said to her “My sister, prepare the other room and take Sara there.” 16Edna did as Ragouel told her and she took Sara to this room and Sara began to cry. Edna dried her daughter’s tears and said, 17“Have courage, my child, the God of heaven and earth will change your sorrow into joy. Have confidence, my daughter!”
- Tb 7,9 This way of celebrating marriage belongs, first of all, to family religion. Such has been the custom in a great number of countries and religions. It is difficult to say what was added to this family liturgy when Christians of the primitive Church wanted their marriage to be recognized. It is the family which traditionally feels it has a duty to perpetuate itself through marriage. Only in the last centuries was the priority of mutual love affirmed; and before long we found ourselves in the great crisis of the twentieth century: the family, why? In some ancient countries, the suicidal option was considered normal: a couple without children or with one or two; in other words, the death of a nation in a more or less brief span of time. See the call to the law of Moses: the official celebration of marriage helps husband and wife to understand that they are really committing their lives: they will not find themselves unless it be in fulfilling a common mission.
