Anna to Tobit, after being accused of stealing the goat which she has brought home ...
"Where are your acts of charity? Where are your righteous deeds? These things are known about you?" Tobit 2: 11-14
Tobit is thrown for a loop by those words. And he lands in despair and the very next thing he does is pray to God. He does not pray to have the strength to ask for the love to treat his wife in a righteous manner. No, he asks to die. Tobit has not had it real easy leading up to this conversation. Maybe he does not want to fall farther away from the righteous person, who before being blinded, would risk his own well being to bury those who had been executed.
Anna will have two conversations with Tobit during which he tries to reassure her. The first time it works and her weeping stops and she has some hope her son will survive a dangerous journey. The second time shows why reassurance is not what mournful people need. And Anna makes it real clear she does not feel better about her son who has not returned in a timely manner when Tobit reassures her that he thinks he is fine, just delayed.
However, after this fight, when she sees her son, she does one thing before running off to greet him. She tells Tobit.
Something is percolating in my brain as I read this, but it is unclear. something did become clear last night...
as I read Tobit this week, I kept thinking, I know this story, so I assumed it was from when I read the Bible several years ago. And it may be, but much more recently (a google search reminded me) I read a novel by one of my favorite authors, which was based upon this story: On the Road with the Archangel by Frederick Buechner.
Oh, I haven't read that one. Gonna have to look for it, now. :) This story sounds interesting. Thanks, Wayne.
ReplyDeleteMich
Haven't read Tobit nor Buechner's Archangel, although I did get into a few books of the Apocrypha many, many years ago. What I wonder is: where was I this weekend that I find myself three posts behind here? First day back to school yesterday after the break and we already have a snow-day here as I awoke to discover this morning! "Where are my acts of charity? Where are my righteous deeds?" Indeed, "Where am I?"
ReplyDeleteDaisy and Jim... thanks for the comments. My new obsession with Anna and Tobit will end soon.
ReplyDeleteBut its been fun while it lasted! I so enjoyed watching you and Carol laugh until almost tears...I needed to see that kind of joy.
ReplyDeletemsklem ... after the depressing news at work, it was good to have Carol there to spur me on and you for an audience. Thanks for showing up.
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