Application. Lay to heart the exhortations of old Tobias, just as if your own father had spoken them to you on his deathbed. Ask yourself every day whether you have acted up to his teaching.
Have you always gladly followed the advice of your father and mother? Are your parents obliged to find fault with you very often? Have you ever grieved or angered them? You cannot be a child of God if you do not honour and obey your parents. Whenever they bid you do anything, say to yourself, in the words of the young Tobias: “I will do all these things, father (or mother), which thou hast commanded me.”
Chapter LXIX.
TOBIAS RETURNS HOME AND CURES HIS FATHER.
[Tob. 10—12.]
FOURTEEN days had passed since the marriage of Tobias, and his parents at home began to be exceedingly sad, and they wept together, because their son did not return. But his mother was quite disconsolate, and she groaned and sighed:
“Woe, woe is me, my son, why did we send thee to a strange country; the light of our eyes, the staff of our old age, the comfort of our life, the hope of our posterity!” Then Tobias said to her: “Hold 'thy peace, our son is safe.” Yet she would not be comforted, but went out into all the ways that she might see him coming afar off.
Now Tobias the younger said to Raguel: “I know that my parents count the days, and their spirit is afflicted within them.” However, Raguel pressed him to stay a little longer, but in vain. He then gave him Sara his wife, and the half of all he possessed,saying: “May the holy Angel of the Lord be with you in your journey, and bring you through safely, and may you find all things well about your parents.”
When the travellers had made half the journey homeward, the Angel said to Tobias: “Let us go before and let the family softly follow[1] after us.” They did so, and Raphael told Tobias
- ↑ Softly follow. Tobias hastened on to relieve his parents’ anxiety as soon as possible, while Sara travelled after him more leisurely, with the servants, camels, flocks and herds which her father had given her.
