Breaking the Word

20^th Week in Ord. Time, Tuesday – 22^nd August 2023 – Judges 6,11-24; Mt 19,23-30

Presence as Blessing  

In the first reading we see how God uses the weak and insignificant to bring safety and liberation to the people of God. Gideon is an insignificant member of a family and belongs to Manasseh, the less important tribe in Israel. He and the rest of the chosen people are once again oppressed by Midianites. God calls Gideon to be the champion of all the tribes of Israel. After testing to see if it is really the Lord who is calling him to this task, Gideon realizes how blessed he had been to have theophany and not die. God speaks a message of peace and Gideon in turn sets up a memorial to Yahweh. The Lord usually calls the lowly rather than the mighty to act for him. He chose Jacob before Esau; Saul, the least in the tribe of Benjamin; David, the shepherd in the field, and Mary, the lowly from Nazareth. However, God empowers the lowly with the promise to be with them. There is no need of any extraordinary signs other than his presence.

20^th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 21^st August 2023 – Judges 2,11-19; Mt 19,16-22

Deliverers for God

The first reading describes the Israelites after the time of Joshua and how they turned away from the Lord until the Lord raised up judges to bring them back. After the death of Joshua, the Israelites -in spite of the solemn promises they made- started to intermingle with the native Canaanites and worshiped the gods of the surrounding people. The male god was addressed as ‘Baal’ meaning ‘master’ or ‘lord’. The female deity was known as ‘Ashtarte’, a beautiful goddess of war and fertility. Thus, the descendants of the Exodus started to deviate from the way of the Lord, the God who had saved them. Because of their disloyalty they found themselves the victims of their enemies. Yahweh was no longer with them in their struggles. God sent “judges” to aid the Israelites both in military and spiritual matters. The term ‘judges’ does not have common meaning but indicates war leaders and deliverers of the people. They are very different in character and ability from each other, but what they do share is a divine calling to save their people. Therefore, the primary role of the judges seems to have been to help overthrow the oppressors of the children of Israelites. In raising judges from them God shows that he was willing to take care of them, if they returned to Him and followed the commands of the Lord.