Memorial of Saints (November 20)

St. Bernward was orphaned at an early age, but his uncle, a bishop of the Netherlands, took care of him. Bernward entered the priesthood and became the imperial chaplain and tutor of the child-Emperor, Otto III. In 993 A.D., he became the bishop of Hildesheim. People looked up to him because of his holiness and skill in artwork. He built the church and monastery dedicated to St. Michael. After 30 years as bishop, he retired to a Benedictine monastery.

St. Felix of Valois founded together with St. John of Matha, the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (the Trinitarians). The mission of the Order is to ransom captives from the Moors. St. John worked in Spain, while St. Felix administered the French province of the Order. By 1240 A.D., the Trinitarian Order had some six hundred monasteries (died ca. 1212 A.D.).

St. Edmund the Martyr was the king of East Anglia - an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom. During the great war with the Vikings (the Danes) in 869-870 A.D., he was defeated and captured. Edmund refused to renounce the Christian faith. He was first scourged, shot with arrows and beheaded at Hellesden. His body was found incorrupt in ca. 915 A.D. and was transferred to a place near Bedricsworth (died ca. 870 A.D.).

St. Dasius was a Roman soldier at Durostorum (in Bulgaria). He was chosen by his companions to be the leader of the saturnalia - a pagan ritual to the pagan god Kronos. Because Dasius was Christian, he refused to participate in this pagan ritual. When he continued to resist and also to refuse to sacrifice before the image of the Emperor, he was beheaded (died ca. 303 A.D.).

St. Nerses of Sahgerd was arrested together with his disciple Joseph. This was the time of the Christian persecutions in Persia under Sapor II. Nerses and Joseph were brought before the King and were offered their freedom if they would worship the sun. When Nerses refused to worship the sun, he and Joseph were beheaded (died ca. 343 A.D.).

33rd Sunday of the Year (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

November 16, 2014
Liturgical readings
Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
Psalm 128
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Matthew 25:14-30

"Come, share the Lord's joy."

Each one has been given gifts and abilities by the Lord. The majority have them in their personality or character; some have them in artistic, musical or sports abilities; and others in professional life, or raising a family. Life itself is a gift. All receive the gift of life. In the first part of this Sunday's parable, a lesson is taught to make good use of all God gave: making them yield well for His glory, and for the benefit of others. The last part of the parable prepares all to understand well the seriousness of not placing our gifts in God's service. For the Lord wants that everyone use the gifts of life to please Him, and to make it yield for the common good, and the greater good.

At some point of life, some can misuse or abuse the gifts of life the Lord gives. If those gifts were wasted by the influence of vice (as ancient monastics define vice as originating from thought and spirit), then it can destroy not only Christ's image in a person, but his life, and other lives as well. But when misfortune, tragedy, loss, broken relationships, or a pandemic occurs, many realize the need for God's forgiveness for time or gifts wasted. But God is merciful - the author of all that is good. He is ready to point a way back to use one's gifts according to His will. It takes time though. As physical illness takes time to heal, even the soul needs time for healing. Venerable Matt Talbot is one inspiring life story that can point a road back to the Lord.

Once vices are purged, the habits of sin are ended, and there is strength to do God's will. God's grace gives the spiritual vision needed to make good use of the abilities received from Him. There is no need to change one's state of life, or to go elsewhere. St. Josemaria Escriva says that even one's "ordinary activities are not an insignificant matter; rather, they are the very hinge on which sanctity turns". We can employ the gifts given according to God's will, and reap the reward of sharing in God's joy at making His gifts bear a joyful harvest for Him and others. God can give additional freedom and the golden treasure of time. And whenever freedom and time are properly used, lives are rebuilt in productivity and fruitfulness. Lives are renewed in joy with a greater responsibility towards God, others, and to one's well-being.


Scripture quote:
"We belong neither to darkness nor to night; therefore let us not sleep like the rest, but awake and sober!" (1 Thessalonians 5)

The Judges of Israel in the Old Testament

The Judges of Israel

In the time of the Tribal Confederacy, there still was no political unity among the tribes. Therefore, during times of crises, Yahweh raised up "judges" - military heroes and leaders, who led His people Israel against their enemies, and helped keep justice in the land.

"Judges" in biblical context

The biblical book of Judges tells about how twelve judges (military champions or "deliverers" [Judg 2:16]) held leadership over the loosely organized Tribal Confederacy. Besides their military leadership, these judges also functioned as those who handled legal disputes and arbitration among their people. When the legal dispute went beyond a particular tribe, these judges also have an extended authority to other tribes as well. Their authority was generally recognized within the territory of the Tribal Confederacy.

Charism and spiritual power

Judges do not function like kings and their office is nonhereditary. Their office rested upon a special gift of Yahweh's Spirit - known as charisma, or spiritual power. To mention a few of these judges who were gifted by Yahweh with charisma, take into account popular names like Deborah [Judg 4-5], Gideon [Judg 6:34-35], and Samson [Judg 14:6].

Deborah

Deborah was a charismatic leader that figured prominently in the Battle of Megiddo. At Megiddo was a Canaanite fortress that controlled a commercial route that ran from Egypt to Mesopotamia. This control affected Israel's economic life. Thus, at this time Yahweh raised up Deborah, who, together with the commander Barak, gave an order to attack Megiddo. But only half of the tribes in the Twelve-Tribe Confederacy responded to Deborah's summons. Even with just half the tribes, victory was obtained because of Yahweh's help, who caused a rainstorm that flooded the river Kishon, which overflowed its banks, and trapped the Canaanite charioteers in clay. This account of the battle of Megiddo is given in two versions: the Song of Deborah in Judges 5 and the prose version in Judges 4.

Gideon

In Judges 6:35, Gideon, like Deborah, calls on the other Tribes to assist him against the Midianites. The tribes, which are from the north, responded to his call. Those who studied the Scripture related to Gideon say that Yahweh raised up Gideon at that time because of a series of devastating surprise attacks on the people by Midianites in the Arabian desert. These attacks were inflicted on the Israelites, who had to leave their villages and their farming, and take refuge in mountain caves [Judges 6:5]. Thus, Yahweh called Gideon, who was a farmer, to take a military role in Israel. In the bible, Gideon was guided by Yahweh to use methods not according to common military strategies [Judges 7:1-8]. This was what Gideon did: he selects a group of only 300 men and staged a guerilla-type attack on the encamped Midianites. Gideon's band of 300 men surprisingly overpowered the Midianites. The account of Gideon's victory in the bible makes readers aware that the victory indeed belongs to Yahweh.

Samson

Deborah and Gideon were judges from the north. In the south, the judges Yahweh raised for His People were Othniel and Shamgar. But the most popular of these was Samson. Samson is from the tribe of Dan. He is very much a poor man's hero: physically powerful, vengeful, and with a weakness for women. Though he never organized an army in the name of Yahweh, he was able to defeat the Philistines single-handedly. The biblical account of Samson as a judge called by Yahweh, gives a moral lesson, and tells them what will happen to persons whom Yahweh filled with charisma, but disregards His guidance in times of crises and instead pursues personal desires and whims.

Conclusion:

Deborah, Gideon and Samson are "charismatic leaders" - leaders qualified to lead the Twelve-Tribe Confederacy. Their success in battle or extraordinary physical strength encouraged the people to consult them in many matters. These judges in turn applied the Covenant Law from Moses to very specific and particular cases. In time, however, the role of these judges as leaders came to be ineffective as more and more troubles came upon the People. Eventually, as Israel saw their neigbhoring countries prospering due to the organization of their nations with a king as leader, they saw this as a solution and clamored to their elders and leaders that they also wanted a king. This was a critical time for the Tribal Confederacy since all the tribes always conceived of Yahweh as their only King.

Related resources:

• "Understanding the Old Testament", by Bernhard W. Anderson
• "Journey: Volume I - Torah", by Msgr. Marcel Gervais
• The Promised Land: Introductory Article
• The Promised Land: Three Theories of the Canaan Conquest
• Three Turning Points in the Life of Early Israel
• The Twelve-Tribe Confederacy