Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Judith 13: Slaying Holofernes
Judith teaches us about courage, fidelity, and divine providence. She shows us clearly the strength of women, the power of faithfulness through duress, the results of steady, enduring, immutability . . . and the gift of God’s abiding presence. Judith instructs us on the results of constancy and the privilege of discipleship.
In this particular chapter, we see Judith carry out the final stages of her plan . . . and I am always intrigued by the fact that none of Holofernes’ soldiers see anything suspicious about two women leaving the camp and the reason for this is that from the first night of her stay Judith makes it clear that she and her maid will go out to pray each evening. For this reason their escape route is made through their accustomed daily commitment to God (12:5-9).
It is also clear that Holofernes’ principle error is seeing women as sexual objects. The heart of Holofernes was in rapture over her, and his spirit was shaken. He was burning with the desire to possess her, for he had been biding his time to seduce her from the day he saw her. (12:16) Neither this man – nor anyone in his inner circle – sees the true significance of the presence of this quiet, beautiful, spiritual woman in their midst. And they pay for this blindness with the loss of life and the loss of the campaign they have planned against the people of Bethulia.
What can we learn from this today? How can we take this lesson into our own lives and honor it? What is it about Judith’s conduct that speaks of her so well?
This story – when read from beginning to end – is full of unexpected twists. And so is life. This story – when we take the time to examine it more fully – can startle us and even repel us with its stark reality and violence. And so can life. This story – when reflected upon in the context of the coming of Christ – brings us the expectation of restoration, justice and joy. And so does life. This story brings us the gift of constancy, a gift we receive through our own discipleship.
What do we do against life’s twists and turns and ironies? We remain constant, we abide with God, we fear less and we pray endlessly. We empty ourselves of ego and pride . . . and we allow God to complete and fill us. We act – just as Judith did – from a custom of constantly walking and praying with God.
Good, merciful and just Creator, we place ourselves in your hands each day at our rising. We carry you with us throughout each day. We return to you each evening just as we return to family, home and hearth. Abide with us this day and all days, just as you accompanied Judith and her maid into the enemy’s camp. Abide with us each evening as we walk out to the ravine to pray with you, just as Judith and her maid were accustomed to doing. We seek you, just as Judith sought you. We bring to you our worries and fears, just as these women did. May we too remain constant to you in our prayers and in our actions. May we too know the triumph and the peace which comes from abiding with you. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you have time to read more about Judith’s story and reflect on her importance in our lives today, enter her name in the search box on this blog and spend time with her. Or open your Bible to this book and begin her story in Judith 8. For background, and to better understand the context, begin reading from Chapter 1. For an online commentary, click on the model of ancient Jerusalem above.
Images from: https://thenoontimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/220px-cristofano_allori_0021.jpg and https://thenoontimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/reconstruction_model_of_ancient_jerusalem_in_museum_of_david_castle1.jpg
First written on July 27, 2008. Re-written and posted today as a Favorite.
The Noontimes 