He’s just given his daughter’s hand in marriage to Tobias, a young man he barely knows. But here's the kicker: Sarah has a terrible history. Seven previous grooms, each one dead on his wedding night, slain by the demon Asmodeus. Talk about pressure.
So, what's a worried father to do? Reuel, understandably terrified that Tobias will meet the same grim fate, takes a rather… proactive approach. The Book of Tobit tells us that he instructs his servants to dig a grave, secretly, under cover of darkness. "If the youth is dead," he says, "we will bury him in the night, so that no man know it, and there will be no reproach to us." Can you feel the anxiety radiating off the page?
He then calls his wife, Ednah, into his confidence. Together, they decide to send a maid to peek into the bridal chamber. A grim fact-finding mission. Was Tobias still among the living? If not, they’d bury him before sunrise, keeping their daughter's reputation (and their own) intact. A desperate plan born of fear.
The maid slips into the room, holds her breath, and… beholds a miracle! Tobias and Sarah are both asleep, peaceful and joyful. Imagine the wave of relief that washed over her! She rushes back to Reuel and Ednah, breathlessly announcing, "He liveth!"
The response is immediate and powerful. Reuel, overwhelmed with gratitude, breaks into a heartfelt blessing. "Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers," he cries, "who hast shewn us this great kindness, for it is thou, O Lord, who smitest and healest, and killest and makest alive, who hast wrought this wonder with these twain, and thou livest and art established for ever and ever."
Talk about a change of heart!
Reuel immediately orders the grave to be covered up – no need for that now! – and instructs his servants to prepare a great feast. God, in his infinite mercy and kindness, had spared Tobias and Sarah, and given them cause for celebration.
What strikes me most about this passage is the raw humanity of Reuel. He’s flawed, scared, and acts in ways that might seem… extreme. But ultimately, he’s driven by love for his daughter and a deep-seated belief in God. And when faced with a miracle, he doesn't hesitate to acknowledge it and give thanks.
It's a reminder that even in the darkest of times, even when we're digging metaphorical graves of our own, hope can still bloom. And sometimes, just sometimes, we might be surprised by the dawn.