The Angel Who Walked Beside Them: Faith, Marriage, and Mercy in the Book of Tobit by Jeff Callaway

The Angel Who Walked Beside Them: Faith, Marriage, and Mercy in the Book of Tobit

By Jeff Callaway

Texas Outlaw Poet

Listen here, brothers and sisters, because I need to tell you about a story that most Protestants threw out like yesterday's garbage but that the Catholic Church has treasured for two thousand years. It sits there in your Bible, tucked between Nehemiah and Judith, fourteen chapters of pure truth wrapped in the kind of tale that makes you wonder if God has a sense of humor and a love for dramatic irony. The Book of Tobit. Ever heard of it? If you have not, shame on you. If you have but never really read it, double shame. Because this little book contains more raw theology about mercy, angels, marriage, and the providence of God than half the sermons you will hear in a year.

This is not some fairy tale, though the Protestants like to call it that. The Council of Trent in 1546 declared it inspired Scripture, part of the deuterocanonical books that Catholics accept and Protestants reject. Why? Because the Jews rejected it after Christ came, and Martin Luther decided to follow the Jews instead of the Church. But we Catholics know better. We know that when the early Church fathers quoted from Tobit, when Augustine and Pope Innocent I affirmed it around 400 AD, when the Church used it in her liturgy for marriages and funerals, they were not playing games. They were recognizing divine truth when they saw it.

The story takes place during the Assyrian captivity, around 722 BC, when the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell and God's chosen people found themselves dragged off to foreign lands. Exiled. Strangers in a strange land. Sound familiar? It should. Because every Christian living in the modern world knows what it feels like to be a stranger in Babylon, to live in a culture that worships golden calves while you are trying to worship the one true God.

A Righteous Man in an Unrighteous Land

Meet Tobit. A man from the tribe of Naphtali who refused to bend the knee to the false gods that everyone around him was worshiping. While all of Israel ran off to sacrifice to the golden calves that King Jeroboam set up, Tobit alone fled to Jerusalem, to the temple of the Lord. Even as a young man, he knew what mattered. He gave his tithes, his firstfruits, everything to God. He walked the narrow road when everyone else was stampeding down the wide one.

When the Assyrians dragged him off to Nineveh, Tobit did not lose his faith. He did not start eating the food of the Gentiles or adopting their ways. While everyone around him compromised, Tobit stood firm. And God blessed him for it. King Shalmanesar gave him favor, gave him freedom to move about, gave him position. Tobit used that position to help his fellow captives, giving them money, food, comfort. He even lent ten talents of silver to his kinsman Gabelus, taking only a note of hand as security.

But here is where the story gets gritty and real. When Shalmanesar died and his son Sennacherib took over, everything changed. Sennacherib hated the Israelites. He slaughtered them. And Tobit, bless him, could not stand to see his people lying dead in the streets like dogs. So he did what the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches is one of the corporal works of mercy: he buried the dead.

The Catechism states clearly that burying the dead is a work of mercy that honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit. Tobit knew this in his bones. Night after night, he would steal away, take the bodies of the slain, hide them, and bury them under cover of darkness. His neighbors thought he was insane. The king wanted him dead. But Tobit feared God more than he feared any earthly king.

One night, exhausted from burying the dead, Tobit came home and collapsed by a wall to sleep. And that is when God allowed something strange to happen. Bird droppings from a swallow's nest fell into his eyes, and he went blind. Blind. The righteous man who had done nothing but good works, who had buried the dead when no one else would, who had given alms and kept the law, now sat in darkness.

When Suffering Comes to the Faithful

Why would God allow this? The Book of Tobit itself tells us: this trial was permitted so that an example might be given to posterity of his patience, just like holy Job. See, suffering is not proof that God has abandoned you. Sometimes suffering is proof that God trusts you enough to refine you like gold in the fire. The Church has always taught this. Purgatory itself exists because God loves us too much to let us into heaven with the stains of sin still on our souls.

Tobit's wife Anna had to work as a weaver to support them. One day she brought home a young goat that had been given to her as payment. But Tobit, in his blindness and his righteousness, accused her of stealing it. He demanded she return it. And Anna, frustrated and worn down, turned on him with words sharper than any sword: "Where is your hope now? Where are all your alms and good works? It is obvious what they have gotten you."

Can you feel that? Can you feel the weight of those words? That is the voice of every spouse who has watched their faithful husband or wife suffer despite doing everything right. That is the voice of doubt that whispers in the dark when you have prayed and fasted and given and still the cancer comes, still the job is lost, still the child rebels. But Tobit did not curse God. He prayed.

And hundreds of miles away, at the exact same moment, a young woman named Sarah was praying too. Sarah, the daughter of Raguel in the city of Rages in Media, had been given in marriage seven times. Seven times. And seven times, the demon Asmodeus had killed her husband on the wedding night before the marriage could be consummated. Can you imagine that torment? Can you imagine being called a murderer by the servants, being told that you might as well kill yourself because you will never have a normal life?

When Heaven Hears Two Prayers at Once

Here is where the beauty of God's providence shines like lightning in a storm. Tobit prayed for death in Nineveh. Sarah prayed for death in Rages. Two people, hundreds of miles apart, both righteous, both suffering, both crying out to God at the same moment. And God heard them both.

The angel Raphael was sent. One angel, two missions, one divine plan. Raphael, whose very name means "God heals," one of the seven archangels who stand before the throne of God, was dispatched to bring healing and hope to both Tobit and Sarah. This is what the Catechism teaches us about angels: they are servants and messengers of God, mighty ones who do His word. They watch over us, protect us, intercede for us. And sometimes, like Raphael, they walk among us in disguise.

Before he lost his sight, Tobit remembered that money he had lent to Gabelus ten years earlier. Knowing he might die soon, he called his son Tobias and gave him instructions. Not just instructions about getting the money, but instructions about life. This is what fathers are supposed to do. This is what the faith demands.

Tobit told his son: honor your mother all the days of her life. Never consent to sin. Give alms from your substance. Be merciful according to your ability. Keep yourself from fornication. Never do to another what you would hate to have done to yourself. Seek counsel from the wise. Bless God at all times.

These are not just nice suggestions. These are the fundamentals of Catholic moral teaching. The Catechism speaks of the necessity of honoring father and mother, of practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, of maintaining purity before and within marriage, of following the Golden Rule that Christ Himself would later teach. Tobit knew these truths not because he had the Catechism but because God had written them on his heart.

The Angel in Disguise

Young Tobias needed a guide to make the journey to Rages. So he went out looking for someone who knew the way. And standing there in the marketplace, he found a young man, strong and ready to travel. The young man called himself Azariah, son of the great Ananias. But it was Raphael, the archangel of God, wearing human flesh like a cloak.

This is crucial. The angel did not announce himself with trumpets and lightning. He did not descend on wings of fire. He showed up looking like an ordinary traveler looking for work. Why? Because God does not always show His hand. He does not always make His presence obvious. Sometimes He walks beside us in disguise, testing our faith, preparing us for what we do not yet know we need.

Tobias and Raphael set out on their journey, and Tobit's dog went with them. Yes, the Bible mentions the dog. Twice. Because even in Scripture, God cares about the small details, the ordinary companions of our lives. They traveled until they reached the Tigris River, and when young Tobias went down to wash his feet, a huge fish jumped out of the water to attack him.

Raphael commanded Tobias to grab the fish, and when he did, Raphael told him to remove the heart, liver, and gall. "These are useful for medicine," the angel said. Later, Raphael explained: if you put a piece of the heart or liver on burning coals, the smoke will drive away demons. And the gall is good for anointing blind eyes to cure them.

Think about that. God provided the medicine for Tobit's blindness and the weapon against Asmodeus before Tobias even knew he would need them. This is divine providence. This is God working all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Marriage, Demons, and the Power of Prayer

As they neared the city where Raguel lived, Raphael told Tobias that he must marry Sarah, Raguel's daughter. Tobias balked. "I have heard that seven men have died trying to marry her," he said. "I am my parents' only son. If I die, it will kill them with grief."

But Raphael told him the truth: the demon only has power over those who enter marriage shutting God out of their hearts and minds, giving themselves to lust like horses and mules that have no understanding. The demon cannot touch those who approach marriage with purity, with prayer, with the proper intention of bringing children into the world for the glory of God.

This is Catholic teaching on marriage in its purest form. The Catechism teaches that marriage is a covenant by which a man and a woman establish a partnership of the whole of life, ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring. When Christ raised marriage to the dignity of a sacrament, He made it a sign of His own love for the Church. The sexual union is sacred, ordered toward life and love, never to be degraded into mere animal appetite.

Raphael instructed Tobias: "When you take her as your wife, go into the bridal chamber and for three days, keep yourselves continent. Give yourselves to nothing but prayer. On the first night, burn the fish's liver, and the demon will flee. On the second night, you will be admitted into the society of the holy patriarchs. On the third night, you will obtain the blessing that sound children may be born to you."

When they arrived at Raguel's house, the old man looked at Tobias and marveled at how much he resembled his kinsman Tobit. Raguel welcomed them with great joy. But when Tobias asked for Sarah's hand in marriage, Raguel was afraid. He knew what had happened to the other seven men. He did not want this good young man to die.

But Raphael spoke up: "Give her to this man without fear, for to him who fears God is your daughter due to be his wife. Therefore another could not have her." This is a profound truth. God has a plan for marriage. He ordains certain unions. When we approach marriage with fear of the Lord, with purity of intention, with trust in His providence, He blesses it. When we approach it with lust, selfishness, or disregard for His laws, we invite disaster.

The Wedding Night That Changed Everything

They drew up the marriage contract, and that night, Sarah was brought to Tobias. Remember, she had been a bride seven times before, and seven times she had become a widow before the marriage bed was even warmed. The servants dug a grave in advance, certain this eighth husband would die like the others.

But Tobias remembered Raphael's instructions. He took out the fish's liver and placed it on burning coals. The smoke rose. And the demon Asmodeus, unable to stand the presence of that holy remedy, fled to the uttermost parts of Egypt, where Raphael bound him.

Then Tobias did something that every married couple should do on their wedding night and every night thereafter: he prayed. "Sara, arise, and let us pray to God today, and tomorrow, and the next day, because for these three nights we are joined to God. When the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock. For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God."

They prayed together. "Lord God of our fathers, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all Your creatures that are in them, bless You. You made Adam of the slime of the earth, and gave him Eve for a helper. And now, Lord, You know that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which Your name may be blessed forever and ever."

This is the Catholic understanding of marriage in its fullness. Sexuality is ordered to the conjugal love of man and woman. In marriage, the physical intimacy of the spouses becomes a sign and pledge of spiritual communion. As the Catechism teaches, sexuality concerns the innermost being of the human person and is realized in a truly human way only when it is an integral part of the love by which a man and woman commit themselves totally to one another until death.

Morning came. Raguel sent a servant to check on the newlyweds, certain she would find another corpse. Instead, she found them sleeping peacefully, both alive, both blessed. Raguel fell to his knees and praised God: "Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel, because it has not happened as we suspected. For You have shown Your mercy to us, and have shut out from us the enemy that persecuted us."

The Money, The Father, and The Healing

While Tobias stayed with his new father-in-law for the wedding celebration, Raphael took four servants and two camels and journeyed to Rages, where Gabelus lived. He presented the note of hand, received the ten talents of silver, and brought Gabelus back to the wedding feast. The debt was paid. The promise was fulfilled.

But back in Nineveh, Tobit and Anna were counting the days. The journey should not have taken this long. Anna wept, convinced her son was dead. Tobit tried to comfort her: "Hold your peace and do not worry. Our son is safe. That man with whom we sent him is very trustworthy." But even Tobit wondered. Even faith is tested by waiting.

Finally, Tobias set out for home with his new wife, his father's money, and his heavenly companion. When they were getting close to Nineveh, Raphael said to Tobias: "You know how you left your father. Let us go ahead of the caravan. Take the fish's gall with you, for it will be necessary."

Anna had been sitting on a hilltop every day, watching the road. When she saw them coming from afar off, she ran to tell her husband: "Behold, your son is coming!" Raphael told Tobias: "As soon as you enter your house, worship the Lord your God and give thanks to Him. Then go to your father, kiss him, and immediately anoint his eyes with this fish gall. His eyes will be opened, and your father will see the light of heaven and will rejoice in the sight of you."

It happened exactly as Raphael said. Tobias anointed his father's eyes. A white film like the skin of an egg began to peel away. Tobit's sight returned. He could see his son. He could see the light. And he glorified God with words that should be on every Christian's lips: "I bless You, O Lord God of Israel, because You have chastised me, and You have saved me. And behold, I see Tobias my son."

The Angel Reveals Himself

When all the celebrating was done and Tobit wanted to pay Raphael for his service, the angel finally revealed himself. "I am Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord. When you prayed, and when Sarah prayed, I brought your prayers before the glory of the Most High. When you buried the dead, I was present with you. When you did not hesitate to rise and leave your dinner to bury the dead man, your good deed was not hidden from me, but I was with you. And now God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One."

Tobit and Tobias fell on their faces, terrified. But Raphael said: "Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. When I was with you, I was there by the will of God. Bless Him and sing praises to Him. I seemed to eat and drink with you, but I use an invisible food and drink. It is time for me to return to Him who sent me. Bless God and tell all His wonderful works."

And he was taken from their sight. The angel who had walked beside them, who had guided them, who had driven out demons and healed blindness and answered prayers, returned to heaven. But the effects of his visit remained. Tobit could see. Tobias had a wife. Sarah was freed from the demon. The money was recovered. Two families were united. And everyone knew beyond any doubt that God hears prayers, that He sends His angels to help us, that He works all things together for good.

What This Story Teaches Us

The Book of Tobit is not ancient history. It is not mythology. It is divine instruction for how to live as Catholics in a hostile world. Let me count the ways this book speaks to us:

First, works of mercy matter. Tobit buried the dead when it was dangerous, when it cost him everything. The Catechism teaches that burying the dead is one of the seven corporal works of mercy, honoring the children of God who are temples of the Holy Spirit. We live in a culture that treats dead bodies like medical waste, that burns them and scatters them like they never mattered. The Church knows better. Every human body is sacred because it was made in the image of God and will be raised on the last day.

Second, almsgiving is essential. Over and over, Tobit gave to the poor, helped his kinsmen, shared what he had. The Catechism teaches that almsgiving is a witness to fraternal charity and a work of justice pleasing to God. Tobit said it himself: "Alms deliver from death and keep you from going into the darkness. Alms are a good offering in the sight of the Most High for all who give them."

Third, marriage is sacred. The Church has always taught that marriage is a sacrament, a covenant between one man and one woman for life, ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation of children. Tobias and Sarah approached marriage with prayer, with purity, with the right intention. They asked God to bless their union so that children might be born to serve Him. This is the opposite of the contraceptive mentality that has poisoned modern marriage.

Fourth, demons are real and prayer defeats them. We live in a time when even some Catholics no longer believe in the devil or his demons. But the Church has always taught that Satan and his fallen angels are real spiritual beings who tempt us to sin and seek our destruction. The smoke from the fish's heart and liver drove Asmodeus away because God gave those things power over evil spirits. But it was prayer, purity, and right intention that truly defeated him. As Jesus said, some demons come out only by prayer and fasting.

Fifth, angels are real and they help us. Raphael walked with Tobias for weeks, protected him, guided him, taught him, and only revealed himself at the end. The Catechism teaches that from infancy to death, human life is surrounded by the watchful care and intercession of angels. We each have a guardian angel assigned to us. They present our prayers to God, they protect us from danger, they guide us toward heaven. We should pray to them, invoke them, ask for their help.

Sixth, suffering is not abandonment. When Tobit went blind despite his righteousness, it was not because God hated him. It was to test his faith, to refine his patience, to set an example for posterity. The Church teaches that God permits suffering to draw good from evil, to purify us, to unite us to Christ's passion. Every Mass, we pray for those undergoing purification in purgatory, trusting that temporary suffering leads to eternal glory.

Seventh, God hears our prayers. At the exact same moment, in two different cities, two righteous people prayed, and God heard them both. He sent one angel to answer both prayers in a way that neither of them expected. This is how prayer works. We ask, God answers, but often not in the way or time we expected. We must trust His providence.

The Final Word

Tobit lived forty-two more years after his sight was restored. Before he died, he called his son and grandsons to him and prophesied about the destruction of Nineveh and the restoration of Jerusalem. He told them to leave Nineveh before God's judgment fell. He told them to practice justice, give alms, and bless God all the days of their lives.

Tobias obeyed. He took his wife and children and left Nineveh. He honored his father and mother, buried them with dignity, and then went to live with Raguel and Sarah's mother. He lived to see the destruction of Nineveh, just as his father had prophesied. And before he died at the age of one hundred and seventeen, he saw his children and grandchildren to the fifth generation, all living in the fear of God.

This is the reward of faithfulness. This is what God promises to those who keep His commandments, who show mercy, who pray, who maintain purity, who trust in His providence even when everything falls apart. The world looks at people like Tobit and Tobias and calls them fools. But heaven looks at them and calls them saints.

The Book of Tobit is a lamp in the darkness for every Catholic trying to live faithfully in a pagan culture. It shows us that God sees our good works even when no one else does. It shows us that angels walk among us. It shows us that marriage is holy when approached with holy intentions. It shows us that demons are real but defeatable through prayer and purity. It shows us that suffering is temporary but glory is eternal. It shows us that God always keeps His promises, even if we have to wait longer than we want.

So read this book. Study it. Pray with it. Let it sink into your bones like marrow. Because we are all Tobit, trying to stay faithful in exile. We are all Tobias, setting out on a journey we do not fully understand. We are all Sarah, tormented by demons we cannot defeat on our own. And we all desperately need Raphael, that angel of healing sent by God to guide us home.

The Book of Tobit ends with these words: "All his kindred and all his generation continued in good life and in holy conversation, so that they were acceptable both to God and to men, and to all that dwelt in the land." That should be our goal. That should be our prayer. To live in such a way that we are acceptable to God, to men, and to all who dwell in this strange land where we find ourselves as exiles.

Because we are not home yet. But like Tobias with his angel guide, we are on the road. And if we stay faithful, if we keep praying, if we show mercy, if we maintain purity, if we trust in God's providence, then one day we will see our Father face to face. The blindness will be healed. The demons will be defeated. The marriage feast of the Lamb will begin. And we will bless God forever.

Until then, we walk by faith and not by sight. We bury the dead when no one else will. We give alms even when we are poor. We honor marriage even when the culture despises it. We pray even when heaven seems silent. We trust even when we suffer. Because the God who heard Tobit's prayer and Sarah's prayer at the exact same moment is the same God who hears ours. And He will send His angels to guide us home.

~by Jeff Callaway

Texas Outlaw Poet

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