I hope you all are fattening up because starting tomorrow, the Catholic Canoeists Lenten Observation begins. We will be reading through the books of Sirach, Tobit and Exodus to start. These books were chosen specifically for their patriarchal themes. The Book of Sirach was introduced yesterday, you can read that blog by clicking here. This blog will set the context for the Book of Tobit.
Unlike the previously discussed Book of Sirach, the Book of Tobit’s author and date are disputed. The majority of scholars place the writing of Tobit somewhere between 300 and 100 BC. However, the contents of the book seem to have existed earlier through oral tradition. The story of Tobit is likely to have taken place in 8th or 9th century BC during the Assyrian Exile of the Jews. This is the only book in the bible to specifically detail this time period.
While reading the Book of Tobit we will follow three main characters. They are Tobit, his son Tobias, and Sarah (who Tobias will eventually marry). The book describes a great suffering for Tobit and a great suffering for Sarah who both are only strengthened through faith. Tobit is an avid follower of the Torah who sees suffering through exile with so many Jews falling to gentile customs. Sarah on the other hand has different suffering – her seven marriages have all ended on their wedding night with her husband dying. God hears their call for happiness and answers them both through Tobias. With the companionship of the Archangel Raphael, Tobias sets out to find a wife (Sarah). The book follows their journey of faith.
May the currents guide you,
Summer Sausage
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