What sequence connects the return, sight recovery and family celebration?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

At Charan, the guide proposes going ahead while the family follows softly. The reported healing follows application of gall and the removal of a white skin after about half an hour. Sara and the family arrive seven days later, and named kinsmen join a seven-day celebration.

Chapter breakdown

On the eleventh day of the return, the travelers reached Charan, midway to Nineveh. Raphael suggested that he and Tobias go ahead while the family, Sara and the beasts followed softly. Tobias agreed and took some of the fish’s gall at the guide’s direction. Anna sat daily beside the way on a hill, watching afar. Seeing her son approach, she returned to tell her husband.

Raphael told Tobias to adore God and give thanks on entering the house, kiss his father and anoint his eyes with the gall. He assured him that his father would see the light of heaven and rejoice to see him. The dog ran ahead, fawning and wagging its tail as if bringing news. In a separate note, the edition connects this small detail with the iotas and tittles of Matthew 5:18 and says apparently minute things in Scripture have deep meaning.

The blind father rose and ran stumbling, holding a servant’s hand to meet his son. Both parents kissed Tobias and wept for joy. They adored God, gave thanks and sat together. Tobias anointed his father’s eyes. After about half an hour, a white skin like the skin of an egg began to come out. Tobias drew it from his eyes, and his father immediately recovered his sight. His father, mother and those who knew him glorified God. The elder Tobias blessed God for having chastised and saved him, saying that he could now see his son.

Seven days later, Sara and the family arrived safely with cattle, camels, her money and the money received from Gabelus. The son told his parents of God’s benefits through the man who had guided him. Their kinsmen Achior and Nabath came to rejoice and congratulate Tobias. They feasted together with great joy for seven days.

The story inside

Context and action: At Charan, the guide proposes going ahead while the family follows softly. Response: The reported healing follows application of gall and the removal of a white skin after about half an hour. Recorded boundary: Sara and the family arrive seven days later, and named kinsmen join a seven-day celebration.

Lessons worth keeping

1
At Charan, the guide proposes going ahead while the family follows softly.
2
The reported healing follows application of gall and the removal of a white skin after about half an hour.
3
Sara and the family arrive seven days later, and named kinsmen join a seven-day celebration.

Test your recall

What does the account report between applying the gall and recovering sight?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 51321–51326
11:3. If it please thee therefore, let us go before, and let the family follow softly after us, together with thy wife, and with the beasts. 11:4. And as this their going pleased him, Raphael said to Tobias: Take with thee of the gall of the fish, for it will be necessary. So Tobias took some of that gall and departed.
Lines 51344–51352
11:9. Then the dog, which had been with them in the way, ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, shewed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail. The dog, etc.... This may seem a very minute circumstance to be recorded in sacred history: but as we learn from our Saviour, St. Matt. 5.18, there are iotas and tittles in the word of God: that is to say, things that appear minute, but which have indeed a deep and mysterious meaning in them.
Lines 51363–51370
11:13. Then Tobias taking of the gall of the fish, anointed his father’s eyes. 11:14. And he stayed about half an hour: and a white skin began to come out of his eyes, like the skin of an egg. 11:15. And Tobias took hold of it, and drew it from his eyes, and immediately he recovered his sight.
Lines 51375–51377
11:17. And Tobias said: I bless thee, O Lord God of Israel, because thou hast chastised me, and thou hast saved me and behold I see Tobias my son.
Lines 51386–51390
11:20. And Achior and Nabath the kinsmen of Tobias came, rejoicing for Tobias, and congratulating with him for all the good things that God had done for him. 11:21. And for seven days they feasted and rejoiced all with great joy.