“In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had committed to Gabael in Rages of Media,”
When. Greek and Hebrew and the old Vulgate, (Calmet) “That very day Tobit remembered the money which he had deposited with Gabael….and said within himself, I begged for death; why do I not call Tobias, my son, that I may declare it to him before I die? And calling him, he said: Son, if I die, bury me, and despise not thy mother.” (Haydock) — He gives him fourteen instructions, in imitation of Moses and David, 3 Kings ii. (Worthington)
“And when he had called him, he said, My son, when I am dead, bury me; and despise not thy mother, but honour her all the days of thy life, and do that which shall please her, and grieve her not.”
Life. St. Augustine (Conf. x. 34) cries out, “O Light, which Tobias had in view, when these corporal eyes being closed, he taught his son the way of life.”
“My son, be mindful of the Lord our God all thy days, and let not thy will be set to sin, or to transgress his commandments: do uprightly all thy life long, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness.”
By me. Greek adds, “in the same sepulchre,” like the patriarchs. Pope Leo decreed: statuimus unumquemque in sepulchro suorum majorum jacere.
“Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee.”
Substance. Be not liberal of another’s property. Greek adds, “and let not thy eye be envious, when thou givest alms.” Do it generously. (Calmet) — The same doctrine of the reward of good works, occurs [in] Daniel iv. 24. (Worthington)
“For thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity.”
Little. God regards the affections more than the gift. (Calmet)
“For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High.”
Sin, provided faith, &c., be not wanting. (Menochius) — When the Scripture seems to attribute salvation to one virtue, to faith, repentance, &c., it always presupposes that the heart is free from all mortal guilt. (Haydock) — Alms deeds may procure a fresh supply of graces. (Menochius) — Darkness, or hell, which is thus represented, Matthew viii. 12., and xxii. 13., and Ephesians vi. 12.
“Beware of all whoredom, my son, and chiefly take a wife of the seed of thy fathers, and take not a strange woman to wife, which is not of thy father's tribe: for we are the children of the prophets, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: remember, my son, that our fathers from the beginning, even that they all married wives of their own kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.”
Give it, with true charity, 1 Corinthians xiii. 3. (Calmet)
“Now therefore, my son, love thy brethren, and despise not in thy heart thy brethren, the sons and daughters of thy people, in not taking a wife of them: for in pride is destruction and much trouble, and in lewdness is decay and great want: for lewdness is the mother of famine.”
Crime, or any commerce with another. (Haydock) — Greek and Hebrew add, conformable to the law, (Exodus xxxiv. 16.) “And take not a strange woman, who may not be of thy father’s tribe, as we are the sons of the prophets, Noe, &c. ….All these married from among their brethren, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.” (Haydock)
“Let not the wages of any man, which hath wrought for thee, tarry with thee, but give him it out of hand: for if thou serve God, he will also repay thee: be circumspect my son, in all things thou doest, and be wise in all thy conversation.”
Perdition of the angels, of Adam, &c. (Calmet) (Genesis iii. 5.) (Menochius)
“Do that to no man which thou hatest: drink not wine to make thee drunken: neither let drunkenness go with thee in thy journey.”
At all, after sunset, Deuteronomy xxiv. 14.
“Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked; and according to thine abundance give alms: and let not thine eye be envious, when thou givest alms.”
Another. Behold the grand maxim of fraternal charity, Matthew viii. 12. Alex. Severus was so much pleased with it, that he had it often repeated by a herald, and inscribed on public edifices. What thou wouldst not have done to thee, do not thou to another. (Lamprid.) — Greek and Hebrew add a caution against drunkenness and drunken companions. Fagius has another against revenge; and the old Vulgate, “give not way to wickedness.”
“Pour out thy bread on the burial of the just, but give nothing to the wicked.”
Eat. Greek, “give.” — Naked. Greek adds, “give in alms all thy superfluities, and let not thy eye repine,” &c., as ver. 7. (Haydock)
“Ask counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.”
Burial, or sepulchre. See Baruch vi. 26.; Ecclesiasticus vii. 37., and xxx. 18. The Jews followed this custom, which was common to the pagans, but from very different motives. The latter supposed that the souls fed on such meats. The Jews, and afterwards Christians, did it to feed the indigent, that they might pray for the deceased. These feasts were sometimes abused, and on that account forbidden by St. Ambrose, to whose authority St. Monica submitted. (St. Augustine, Conf. vi. 3.) See Constitutions Apostolic viii. 24. (Calmet) — Just man, who may be supposed to have died in God’s peace. (Haydock) — It is of no service to pray and give alms for the damned. — Wicked, so as to encourage their evil conduct. (Menochius) — Works of mercy extend to the dead. (Worthington)
“And now I signify this to they that I committed ten talents to Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages in Media.”
Abide. Greek, “prosper,” (Menochius) or “be directed. For every nation has not counsel: but this same Lord bestows all good things. And whensoever he will, he humbles, as he pleases. And now, my son, remember my commands, and let them not be effaced from thy heart. Now, also, I make known unto thee the ten talents of silver, which I deposited with Gabael,” &c. (Haydock)
“And fear not, my son, that we are made poor: for thou hast much wealth, if thou fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.”
And I. The Greek, &c., take no notice of this, (Calmet) nor of the following verse. (Haydock) — The virtuous dispose of their temporal effects by will, &c. (Worthington)
We lead. Greek, “if we grow poor. Thou hast much if thou fear,”&c.