November 14, 2013 – Judith 9 – 10

As we read this prayer of Judith and have just gone through Maccabees, the one thing I find most interesting is that we don’t read about God talking to them.  There are no prophets for them, they don’t go up a mountain to hear God’s voice, there are no angels sent in a dream, they are trusting in God, because He is God.  They see a situation, they trust God will help them through it, they put themselves out there as an instrument of God, they pray, and then let God take control.  Judith’s faith is incredibly strong, first, for standing up to the elders as a widowed woman, but then for leaving the city, walking into the enemies camp, and having no assurance of her safety other than her trust in God.  I have heard that Judith is a foreshadowing of Mary, but I really hadn’t seen that until she steps out into the arms of the enemy with her faith in God being her only comfort.  Isn’t that what we find most comforting in Mary’s yes, the trust in God?  We should be inspired by Judith, to walked boldly into the enemies camp.  You can almost picture her and her maiden praying Psalm 23:4 to themselves as they walk.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

And by the way, the maiden that goes with her is an example of extreme loyalty as well.  We don’t even get her name, but she loyally follows her mistress into, what would appear, death, slavery, or worse.  We don’t know what her faith in God was, but her faith in Judith appears very high.  Has it ever been your experience that you might be struggling with your faith in God, but you see those around you that you trust and you follow them, leading you to God?  The maiden, for me, is an example of that.  I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t followed good friends down a path, trusting them, and then finding God.  I wish the maiden had been given a name.