We find Tobi in Nineveh, a Jew living in exile, a time of hardship and oppression. But even amidst this darkness, his inner light shines brightly. The Book of Tobit, a beautiful story found in the Apocrypha, recounts his acts of unwavering piety.
He tells us, in the very first chapter, of his devotion to the dead. "And when I saw the slain of Israel cast forth outside the wall, I many times stole their corpses and buried them..." Can you picture it? Risking everything to give these fallen souls a proper burial, a final act of respect and remembrance.
It wasn't just a one-time thing. Tobi did this "many times." This wasn’t simply fulfilling a religious obligation; it was an act of defiance, a quiet rebellion against the tyranny that surrounded him. He recognized God's justice even in the face of suffering. "O Lord God of Israel," he prays, "thou art righteous in all that hath come upon us, for thou hast dealt truly, and we have done wickedly." Acknowledging divine justice even in hardship—powerful, isn't it?
But his actions didn't go unnoticed. Word eventually reached Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, a ruthless ruler not known for his tolerance. The king's men searched for the bodies, but Tobi was too clever, too driven by his faith.
"Then went the men of Nineveh and told the king, saying, Thy servant Tobi... he sendeth his men over all the streets of Nineveh to seek the slain of his nation, and he burieth them privily, and feareth thee not."
Think about the courage it took to act with such conviction! Knowing the risks, facing potential punishment, yet driven by an unshakeable sense of what was right. Tobi wasn't just burying bodies; he was burying hate, burying despair, and planting seeds of hope.
Tobi’s actions remind us that even in the darkest of times, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, we have the power to make a difference. That even the smallest act of kindness, performed with intention and love, can ripple outwards and create waves of positive change. What "burials" are we called to perform in our own lives? What acts of kindness, of courage, await our own hands?