Eat, drink, and be merry (Lk 12:19-12:19)

“I will say

To my soul!

‘Soul!

You have ample goods

Laid up for many years.

Relax!

Eat!

Drink!

Be merry!’”

 

καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου Ψυχή, ἔχεις πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ κείμενα εἰς ἔτη πολλά· ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου.

 

Luke uniquely continued with this story as Jesus indicated that this rich fool said to his soul (καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου).  He spoke to his soul (Ψυχή) to say that he had ample goods laid up for many years (ἔχεις πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ κείμενα εἰς ἔτη πολλά).  Therefore, he would relax (ἀναπαύου), eat (φάγε), drink (πίε), and be merry (εὐφραίνου), the classical saying for indulging yourself with the pleasures of this world.  Thus, this foolish greedy man thought that his abundant resources meant that he no longer had to work hard.  Now he could enjoy an easygoing permissive lifestyle.  He could retire in luxury.  Do you have enough resources to retire to the good life?

The defeat of the demon (Tob 8:1-8:3)

“When they had finished eating and drinking, they wanted to retire. They took the young man and brought him into the bedroom. Then Tobias remembered the words of Raphael. He took the fish liver and heart out of the bag where he had put them. He put them on the embers of the incense. The odor of the fish was so repelling to the demon that he fled to the remotest parts of Egypt. However, Raphael followed him and at once bound him there hand and foot.”

After they had finished eating and drinking, they led Tobias to the bedroom. However, he remembered what Raphael had told him about the fish. He took out the fish liver and heart that he had been carrying. He then put them on the incense embers to create an odor that made the demon flee to Egypt. There in Egypt, the angel Raphael tied up his hands and feet. There is a story for you. The big brave evil demon spirit was afraid of a fish smell. He fled to Egypt where Tobias’s guardian angel Raphael caught the evil spirit and then tied up his hands and feet. Egypt was considered the traditional place of magic and witchcraft so it was a good place for evil spirits to go. However, since when did evil spirits have hands and feet?