Most of our guests will not know the book of Tobit. Will this reading confuse them?

A single sentence of context is enough: Tobias has come to marry Sarah, and her father Raguel blesses the marriage. Your celebrant can supply that in the homily, or your program can carry a one-line introduction. The scene itself — a father entrusting his daughter, a blessing, a covenant — needs no explanation.

The story mentions Sarah's seven previous husbands dying. Is that a strange note for a wedding?

It is the reason the reading is powerful rather than merely sweet. Tobias marries Sarah with full knowledge of the past, trusting God over fear, and the blessing he receives answers that trust. Couples who have known sorrow before finding each other often choose this reading precisely for that honesty.

Why is Tobit not in every Bible?

Tobit is one of the deuterocanonical books, part of Catholic and Orthodox Bibles since the early Church. Many Protestant Bibles omit it. It is fully approved for use in the Catholic wedding liturgy.

First Reading (Old Testament)

Tobit 7:6-14

"The merciful God will give you all good success"

Planning a Catholic wedding? Weeve builds a free, print-ready program with these readings plus your music, prayers, and photos. Build yours →

Scripture text (World English Bible)

Raguel sprang up, and kissed him, wept, blessed him, and said to him, “You are the son of an honest and good man.” When he had heard that Tobit had lost his sight, he was grieved, and wept; and Edna his wife and Sarah his daughter wept. They received them gladly; and they killed a ram of the flock, and served them meat. But Tobias said to Raphael, “Brother Azarias, speak of those things of which you talked about in the way, and let the matter be finished.” So he communicated the thing to Raguel. Raguel said to Tobias, “Eat, drink, and make merry: for it belongs to you to take my child. However I will tell you the truth. I have given my child to seven men of our relatives, and whenever they came in to her, they died in the night. But for the present be merry.” And Tobias said, “I will taste nothing here, until you all make a covenant and enter into that covenant with me.” Raguel said, “Take her to yourself from now on according to custom. You are her relative, and she is yours. The merciful God will give all good success to you.” And he called his daughter Sarah, and took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife of Tobias, and said, “Behold, take her to yourself after the law of Moses, and lead her away to your father.” And he blessed them. He called Edna his wife, then took a book, wrote a contract, and sealed it.

Themes

divine providence
marriage as covenant
family blessing
courage over fear
the law of Moses

Reflection

The book of Tobit gives the Bible its most detailed wedding narrative, and this reading captures the moment the marriage is actually made. Tobias has traveled far, guided (though he does not yet know it) by the archangel Raphael, and asks Raguel for his daughter Sarah's hand. What follows is remarkably concrete: a father's honest speech, a formal consent, a joining of hands, a spoken blessing, and a written contract. Catholic marriage still has all of these bones — consent declared before witnesses, hands joined, the Church's blessing, the signed register.

Raguel does not gloss over the painful history: seven previous bridegrooms have died. Tobias marries Sarah anyway, because he trusts God more than he fears the past. Couples who have walked through real difficulty on the way to the altar — grief, illness, broken engagements, long seasons of waiting — often hear their own story in this reading. Marriage is an act of courage, and the courage is answered by blessing: "The merciful God will give all good success to you."

The reading also places marriage firmly inside the family and the community of faith. Sarah is given "after the law of Moses"; her father and mother both act and speak, and the covenant joins two households. A wedding is never only about two people, and Tobit says so without embarrassment.

Finally, this reading is the natural companion to Tobit 8:4b-8, where the newlyweds pray together on their wedding night. Choosing Tobit 7 for the first reading sets up that prayer beautifully: first the covenant made before the family, then the couple alone before God.

Best for

·Couples whose road to marriage has included grief, waiting, or hardship
·Weddings where the joining of two families is a central theme
·Couples who love the Tobit 8 wedding-night prayer and want the fuller story
·Ceremonies emphasizing marriage as a covenant made before God and witnesses

In the liturgy

One of the less frequently chosen first readings, which can be a strength: guests hear something new. Because the story is unfamiliar to many, ask your celebrant to give a sentence of context in the homily, or include a brief note in your program. Pairs naturally with Tobit 8:4b-8 if you would rather use that text at another moment, such as a prayer card.

Pairs well with

Frequently asked questions

Most of our guests will not know the book of Tobit. Will this reading confuse them?: A single sentence of context is enough: Tobias has come to marry Sarah, and her father Raguel blesses the marriage. Your celebrant can supply that in the homily, or your program can carry a one-line introduction. The scene itself — a father entrusting his daughter, a blessing, a covenant — needs no explanation.
The story mentions Sarah's seven previous husbands dying. Is that a strange note for a wedding?: It is the reason the reading is powerful rather than merely sweet. Tobias marries Sarah with full knowledge of the past, trusting God over fear, and the blessing he receives answers that trust. Couples who have known sorrow before finding each other often choose this reading precisely for that honesty.
Why is Tobit not in every Bible?: Tobit is one of the deuterocanonical books, part of Catholic and Orthodox Bibles since the early Church. Many Protestant Bibles omit it. It is fully approved for use in the Catholic wedding liturgy.

Build a free Catholic wedding program

Add Tobit 7:6-14 plus your music, prayers, and photos, then download a print-ready PDF — free with an account.

Start building →