FEAST OF ST. LAWRENCE
Judith,
Chapter 8, Verse 8
No
one had a bad word to say about her, for she feared God greatly.
Think what it would be like if you could hear what
others say about you? Would no one have a bad word to say about you? How is
Judith described?
·
She
was a widow of a successful man “Mannasseh” who died of heat stroke during a
barley harvest.
·
During
the war she had been a widow for 3 years and 4 months choosing not to remarry.
·
She
lived in a tent on the roof of her house and mourned her husband and
worshipped.
·
She
fasted except for the Holy Days.
·
She
was beautiful and very lovely to behold.
·
She
maintained her husband’s property which she owned.
Judith,
Instrument of Yahwah[2]
War had been declared between God and Nebuchadnezzar,
god against God. Each divinity has an acting human representative. Judith and
Holofernes. Judith is a model of Jewish observance. She is a widow whom all
knows that she is under the protection of God. She is a strong woman, with the
fear of God. Judith counsels the elders of the city Bethulia, that is a
mountain stronghold that prevents Holofernes from marching on Jerusalem. The
people are thirsty the cisterns are empty all is hopeless, and the elders want
to quit. Judith challenges their resolve. She scolds the elders for limiting
God to human understanding. "You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or grasp the
workings of the human mind; how then can you fathom God, who has made all these
things, or discern his mind, or understand his plan?” Judith prepares
for war with prayer. Her call for action has 3 parts.
1. They must set an example because the fate of the nation, the temple, and
the people depend on them.
2. They must be grateful to God for this test their affliction is a proof
of God’s love for them.
3. They must remember that God tests those He loves and never doubt his
fidelity in the midst of their sufferings.
Judith’s
prayer illustrates three principles of Holy War
·
Trust
in God. Do not trust in horses or chariots. Trust in armament is the same as
trusting in another god-it is idolatry.
·
Power
comes from God. Frequently the power of God comes from a chosen person; Moses,
David, Jesus, Peter and Judith or Mary Mother of God. The weapons of God are
not the same as man. God’s chosen instrument is sometimes weak.
·
Victory
belongs to the lowly and vulnerable. The weak have no hope except in the power
of God. Judith calls on God to win the victory.
Jamie Gavin made
headlines worldwide in 1985 when he became the world's youngest heart and lung
transplant patient in Harefield hospital, Middlesex. Jamie's surgery was
regarded as a success and he returned to Dublin to his brother John and his three
sisters Leslie, Katie and Melanie. He was able to live a normal life to a
certain extent and attended school with his friends, despite having to
regularly return to England for tests and checkups, as well Crumlin hospital in
Dublin. The bravery of Jamie was recognized a year after his surgery when
Princess Diana presented him with a child of courage award. Tragedy
struck the household when Jamie passed away from lymphoma at the age of 11.
Science is a great gift to
mankind, yet it does not erase the fear of death; only Christ can do this. In fact,
we are engaged in a great spiritual battle where our fears are the very chains
that enslave us.Napoleon Hill writes in his tale “Outwitting the Devil”[5] his thoughts on fear during an imaginary interview with the devil to obtain his secrets.
Q.
Go ahead and describe your clever tricks, Your Majesty.
A. One of my
cleverest devices for mind control is fear. I plant the seed of fear in the
minds of people, and as these seeds germinate and grow, through use, I control
the space they occupy. The six most effective fears are the fear of poverty,
criticism, ill health, loss of love, old age, and death.
Q.
Which of these six fears serves you most often, your majesty?
A.
The first and the last-poverty and death! At one time or another during life I
tighten my grip on all people through one or both of these. I plant these fears
in the minds of people so deftly that they believe them to be their own
creation. I accomplish his end by making people believe I am standing just
beyond the entrance gate of the next life, waiting to claim them after death
for eternal punishment. Of course, I cannot punish anyone, except in that
person's own mind, through some form of fear-but fear of the thing which does
not exist is just as useful to me as fear of that which does exist. All forms
of fear extend the space I occupy in the human mind.
Although Napoleon
thoughts may not be theologically correct; he still makes a strong case as does
our God that fear is the root of
sin.
Daily Devotions
[2]
The Collegeville Bible
Commentary
[3]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-08-10
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