9:1 Then Tobias called Raphael, and said unto him, 2 Brother Azarias, take with you a servant, and two camels, and go to Rages of Media to Gabael, and bring me the money, and bring him to the wedding.

AUGUSTINE. The angel concealed his name. “I am Azarias,” he said, “the son of the great Ananias” (Tob. 5:18), and he did not say, “I am the angel Raphael.” With the first name, he concealed his dignity, so as not to cause fright in his hirer. For if he had said, “I am an angel”, he would not have been Tobias’s hired servant. The dignity of the name was reserved, so that the magnitude of the dignity might become clear in the end. See, my dearest, how great the merit of alms-deed is: he earned the privilege of having an angel as a laborer. You see how beneficial it is to bury the dead: it made his offering ascend to the heavenly majesty through the angel Raphael. [Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 226.6 On Tobit}

9:3 For Raguel has sworn that I shall not depart. [However, I beseech you, to take with you beasts and servants, and to go to Gabelus to Rages the city of the Medes: and to restore to him his note of hand, and receive of him the money, and desire him to come to my wedding. Vulgate]

AMBROSE. For if you think that he who is sent is inferior to him by whom he is sent, you must learn also that an inferior has sent a superior, and that superiors have been sent to inferiors. For Tobias sent Raphael the archangel, and an angel was sent to Balaam, (Num. 22:22) and the Son of God to the Jews. [Ambrose of Milan, on the Christian Faith 5.94 NPNF s.2 v.10]

BEDE. They ask him to come among them to gather into his faith nations that have not yet received faith’s mysteries, but have heard of it only by report. They ask him in his mercy to allow the nations to exchange the talent of the Word, which they have learned by report, for the actual obedience of faith, and so also to be invited by virtue of their belief and upright living, into the Holy Church’s wedding feast. At that feast Christ is the Bridegroom; at that feast He has made new wine from water, that is, he gives spiritual understanding of the law. And the Lord does not deny their request, but heeding the prayers of those rightly seeking him, he daily gathers new nations into the Church. [Bede the Venerable, Allegorica interpretatio in Tobiam PL 91.932B]**

AUGUSTINE. So what does he conclude In the churches I will bless you, O Lord (Ps. 25:12). That is, in the churches I will not bless myself, as if I had confidence in men, but I will bless you in my works. Indeed, to bless God in the churches, my brothers, means to live in such a way that God is blessed through one’s conduct. For he who blesses the Lord with his tongue but curses him with his actions, does not bless the Lord in the churches. Almost everyone blesses him with their tongue, but not everyone with their actions. [Augustine of Hippo, On Psalm 25]°°

9:4 But my father counted the days; and if I tarry long, he will be very sorry. 5 So Raphael went out, and lodged with Gabael, and gave him the handwriting: who brought forth bags which were sealed up, and gave them to him. 6 And early in the morning they went forth both together, and came to the wedding: and Tobias blessed his wife.