Tobit was a faithful Jewish believer in exile. He would often make the trip alone to Jerusalem to worship in the only true Temple. In addition to the loneliness of exile, Tobit suffered when he became a fugitive and all his property was confiscated. He later was blinded and impoverished. Nevertheless, Tobit was faithful to the Lord despite the isolation, loneliness, and suffering.

Tobit prayed that the Lord would kill him and put him out of his misery. Sarah, his future daughter-in-law, prayed the same prayer for herself because all seven of her husbands had been killed on their wedding nights. Through the angel Raphael, the Lord cast out the demon Asmodeus, gave Tobit's son Tobiah a happy marriage with Sarah, made Tobiah rich, healed Tobit of blindness, and rescued Tobiah from Nineveh before its destruction. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rm 8:31)

Key word    EXILE
 
Key verse    "In the land of my exile I praise Him, and show His power and majesty to a sinful nation." —13:6
 
Command verse    "Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, and God's face will not be turned away from you." —4:7
 
Promise verse    "It is better to give alms than to store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life." —12:8-9
 
Difficult verse    "Before dying he rejoiced over Nineveh's destruction, and he blessed the Lord God forever and ever." —14:15
 
Surprise verse    "Tobiah...took the fish's liver and heart from the bag which he had with him, and placed them on the embers for the incense. The demon, repelled by the odor of the fish, fled into Upper Egypt; Raphael pursued him there and bound him hand and foot."—8:2-3
 
Prayer: Lord, change my sorrow into dancing (Ps 30:12).