Ten Great Women of the Bible (#4)

The Mom Series continues . . . . 

4. Mother of the Seven Sons (2 Maccabees 7)

This unnamed mother faced unspeakable tragedy, witnessing the martyrdom of her children before facing the same fate. Through the suffering and pain, she supported her sons, exhorting them to courage and abiding faith.

The hope of the resurrection was what inspired the seven sons and their mother to endure the sufferings recounted in 2 Maccabees 7.  

Jesus, in the Gospel reading from Luke 20, affirmed that this doctrine of the resurrection is true.  

The truth of the resurrection means that this life does have meaning.  God made us to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him  in this world, and to be happy with Him in the next.

Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him. (I Corinthians 2:9)

We are responsible for the kind of stewardship we practice with the time, talent, and treasure God entrusts to us in this life.  But we don’t have to try to live as good stewards by our own efforts alone.  In the reading from 2 Thessalonians, St. Paul tells us that God through his grace encourages and strengthens us.

 

Sources:   

The Baltimore Catechism  (1941)

Christian Forum

The Baltimore Catechism4 

 

 

Ten Great Women of the Bible (#5)

The Mom Series continues . . . . 

5. Hagar (Genesis 16 and 21)

Title:  'The Angel Appears to Hagar'
Painter:  Il Guercino  His original name was Giovanni Francesco Barbieri.  
Year:  1652

Forced into exile, she faced incredible hardships with her son, Ishmael. In utter despair and facing death, her concern is for her child, whom she entrusts to God’s loving care.

Moby Dick begins with the opening line, “Call me Ishmael.” I must admit that I never fully understood that statement as anything more than an expression.

After reading Denise Bossert's blog entry over at Catholic By Grace. She says, and I concur (with editions),

“I prefer the words, 'Call me Hagar.'” 

Artist: Il Guercino:  Title:  'Abraham Casting Out Hagar and Ishmael'  1657

I can relate to Hagar. Like Hagar, I have planned my own big dreams. And I have seen those plans fall apart.

Hoping Abraham’s child would be her big break, Hagar becomes a little too sure of her position. The fact that it was Sarah’s idea all along means nothing. It carries no weight that Sarah, hoping to end their infertility, practically pushed her maidservant into Abraham’s tent.

Once Abraham’s legitimate wife conceives a child of her own, Hagar and Ishmael are yesterday’s news. Sarah bears a son, Isaac, the child of the divine promise. The culmination of Abraham and Sarah’s dreams. The fulfillment of an angel’s word. The mistress doesn’t stand a chance.

The surrogate mother is told to leave. (Genesis 21)

Title: 'Hagar and the Angel'
Painter:  Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665)
Year:  1660

Hagar has no options. It is difficult to set things right when they are built on poor decisions in the first place. If only Sarah had fully trusted in God to make good on His promise. If only she had believed that God can do anything. Instead, she tries to force the Hand of God, which is never a good idea. Hagar pays the price.

There’s always a price to be paid when people play God.

Hagar didn’t deserve (in all fairness, no human DESERVES) to have God’s help. I do not deserve to have God's help. God looks beyond the series of bad decisions and has mercy.

Title: 'Hagar in the Wilderness'
Painter:  Giovanni Lanfranco (1582-1647)

Lagniappe:

Hagar's Resume by Happy Catholic

Beautiful Biblical Art depicting this story is abundant!

SOURCES:
http://catholicbygrace.blogspot.com/2009/03/hagars-troubles.html
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/usccb

Ten Great Women of the Bible (#6)

The Mom Series continues . . . .   

6. Eve (Genesis 2-3)

Adam called her “the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20). She is a reminder of human frailty and resilience and of the abiding forgiveness of God.

Graphics source: http://www.rekhabansal.com/pages/image/imagepage1.html

Lagniappe: http://www.catholicbook.com/AgredaCD/MyCatholicFaith/mcfc018.htm

Ten Great Women of the Bible (#7)

The Mom Series continues . . . .

7. Elizabeth (Luke 1)

Despite facing the challenge of infertility, Elizabeth lived a righteous and faithful life, receiving God’s promise of a child with hope and gratitude, recalling that mothers must persevere. And Elizabeth points us to Mary!

The Feast of the Visitation commemorates what is the second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary: Our Lady's visit to her cousin, Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant with St. John the Baptist at the time. At the end of the Archangel Gabriel's Annunciation to Our Lady that she will conceive, he tells her that her cousin, Elizabeth, an older woman thought barren, will also conceive. The story as told in the first chapter of Luke (verses 37-47 of this chapter form the Gospel reading for today), the words in italics being the prayer known as "The Magnificat":

And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: Because no word shall be impossible with God.

And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judah. And she entered into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

          And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house. Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son.

It was at the Visitation that St. John, along with his mother, were filled with the Holy Ghost, the cause of his being born without the stain of original sin. It is today that our Redeemer, Our Lady, and the one about whom Christ said "there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist" all came together, the three pure ones all born without sin after the Fall (of course, Christ and His mother were also conceived without sin).

But this Feast says something very profound about Mary and who she is. Compare how St. Luke describes Mary's visit with how David's visit to the Ark of the Covenant is described in II Kings (2 Samuel in some Bibles): 

II Kings 6:2 And David arose and went, with all the people that were with him of the men of Juda to fetch the ark of God, upon which the name of the Lord of hosts is invoked, who sitteth over it upon the cherubims.	Luke 1:39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda
II Kings l 6:9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, saying: How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?	Luke 1:43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
II Kings 6:11 And the ark of the Lord abode in the house of Obededom the Gethite three months...	Luke 1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house...
II Kings 6:16 And when the ark of the Lord was come into the city of David, Michol the daughter of Saul, looking out through a window, saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord [His Presence over the Ark]	Luke 1:41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb.

St. Luke clearly wants us to see Our Lady as the Ark of the New Covenant, the bearer the Word just as the Ark of the Old Covenant carried the tablets containing the ten words of God; the one who bore the Root of Jesse Who came back to life in three days, just as the Ark of the Old Covenant carried Aaron's rod which sprouted; the one who bore the Bread of Life just as the Ark of the Old Covenant carried some of the manna that sustained the children of Israel in the desert. St. John the Evangelist wrote of this same Truth when he described his Heavenly vision in Apocalypse 11:19-12:1-5:

And the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his testament was seen in his temple, and there were lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake, and great hail. And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his head seven diadems: And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne.

These verses and the words of St. St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (a.k.a. Gregory of Neocaesarea, A.D. 213 - ca. 270) remind us who Mary is:

And thus she received the word, and in the due time of the fulfilment according to the body's course she brought forth the priceless pearl. Come, then, ye too, dearly beloved, and let us chant the melody which has been taught us by the inspired harp of David, and say, "Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest; Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctuary." For the holy Virgin is in truth an ark, wrought with gold both within and without, that has received the whole treasury of the sanctuary.

Pray the words of St. Athanasius and realize the depths of Mary's beauty! Turn to her to intercede for us with her Son:

O noble Virgin, truly you are greater than any other greatness. For who is your equal in greatness, O dwelling place of God the Word? To whom among all creatures shall I compare you, O Virgin? You are greater than them all, O Ark of the Covenant, clothed with purity instead of gold! You are the Ark in which is found the golden vessel containing the true manna, that is, the flesh in which Divinity resides.

Turn to Our Lady!
See also the Queenship of Mary (31 May).
 
Footnote:
¹ This Feast was moved to May 31 on the Novus Ordo calendar, which is the date of Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the traditional calendar.  

SOURCE: Fisheaters

Ten Great Women of the Bible (#8)

The Mom Series continues . . . . 

8. Naomi (The Book of Ruth)
Though Naomi’s sons have died at the beginning of the Book of Ruth, she has the unfailing loyalty of her daughter-in-law and she adopts Ruth and Boaz’s child as her grandson. She reminds us that mothering is not always a matter of blood ties.

 I am a homeschooler so I could not resist this (children's) story version of Naomi's courage and love!

History Alive!  The Power of Friendship: The Lives of Naomi and Ruth 

Through the stories of Abraham, Moses, and David and Solomon in Chapter 11, you learned how Judaism developed. The narrative of Naomi and Ruth is another important account in the development of Judaism. Their story has long been enjoyed as an example of love and loyalty. Many people learn from Ruth's inspiring devotion and friendship for her mother-in-law, Naomi.

Jews today honor Ruth by reading her story during the celebration of Shavout. This holiday remembers the harvest time in Jewish history. Below is a biography of Ruth and Naomi. As you read, think about the contributions they made to the development of Judaism.


Naomi lived with her husband and two sons in Bethlehem. It was a troubled time for the Hebrew people. After returning to Canaan from enslavement in Egypt, the 12 tribes of Israel were fighting. Finally, a famine forced Naomi's family to move away from their home. In Naomi's new home, her two sons married. 

One married Ruth, and the other married Orpah. Tragedy then hit Naomi's family again: her husband and both her sons died. It was then that Naomi decided to return to her people in her homeland. She said goodbye to Ruth and Orpah, but Ruth wanted to go with her mother-in-law. "Where you go," Ruth insisted, "I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16) Together, Ruth and Naomi made the 120-mile journey back to Bethlehem.


Ruth's decision was impressive. The two women were poor, and Ruth had to work hard to support her aging friend. Ruth was not a Hebrew like Naomi; she was a foreigner. Even though there was still fighting among the 12 tribes of Israel, Ruth was devoted to Naomi and her way of life. She was willing to put her personal commitment to her friend over any problems she might face as a foreigner in an unstable land. She put faith not just in Naomi, but also in the Hebrew people. She was willing to take great risks to stay with her friend and adopt her religion. Ruth's story showed the Hebrew people that it was possible to take divided tribes and turn them into a single and united nation of Israel. It is simple kindness and faith that unites people and gives them strength.

Upon returning to Naomi's homeland, the two women found that the famine had ended. They returned just in time for the barley harvest. Ruth married again, this time to a man Boaz. Together they had Obed. Obed was the grandfather of King David. King David created the kingdom of Israel and made Jerusalem its capital city. All of this was possible because one friend had believed in and committed herself to another.

Investigating Biographies

The story of Naomi and Ruth is often told to young children. Create a children's book cover that includes
•	a front cover with an imaginative title and an eye-catching illustration that relates to the theme of the story.
•	a back cover with three comments about the significance of the story for Judaism. Each comment should be two or three sentences long. An example might begin,  "What a wonderful story in the history of Judaism! Readers will see the significance of Ruth and Naomi's relationship by learning."

SOURCES: 
History Alive! The Ancient World, Investigating Biographies 
Bible - Ruth 
USCCB on FB

Lagniappe: Bible Art 

Ten Great Women of the Bible (#9)

The Mom Series continues . . . . 

9. Hannah (1 Samuel 1:1-2:11)

When God answered Hannah’s prayer for a child, she received that child as a gift and turned to God in joy-filled praise. Each child is a gift from God, to be treasured and nurtured so as to grow in God’s love.

Hannah's child was Samuel. You remember Samuel!

He said, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening!" (Samuel 3:10)

The Canticle of Hannah:  (1 Samuel 2:1-10)

1

^{1 2} and as she worshiped the LORD, she said: "My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.

2

There is no Holy One like the LORD; there in no Rock like our God.

3

³ "Speak boastfully no longer, nor let arrogance issue from your mouths. For an all-knowing God is the LORD, a God who judges deeds.

4

The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength.

5

The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil. The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.

6

"The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again.

7

The LORD makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts.

8

He raises the needy from the dust; from the ash heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage. He gives to the vower his vow, and blesses the sleep of the just. "For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he has set the world upon them.

9

He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall perish in the darkness. For not by strength does man prevail;

10

the LORD'S foes shall be shattered. The Most High in heaven thunders; The LORD judges the ends of the earth, Now may he give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed!"

Lagniappe:
Ask a Franciscan @ American Catholic
Bible Stories  (Protestant)

Ten Great Women of the Bible (#10)

The Mom Series continues . . . . 

10. Mother of the Sons of Zebedee (Matthew 20:20-28)
Like all good mothers, she wanted to help her children achieve success, but Jesus transformed her request, challenging her sons to live as disciples, embracing service and suffering, a life that will lead them to the heavenly kingdom. She reminds us of what is most important in life.

H/T: USCCB

Historically, October 22 is the feast day of  St. Mary Salome, the mother of James the Greater and John the Evangelist, the "sons of Zebedee." (or, the Sons of Thunder!)   She was among the women who stayed by while Jesus was on the cross, according to Gospels she is among the women who discovered the empty tomb.

The Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) concludes that the Salome of Mark 15:40 is probably identical with the mother of the sons of Zebedee in Matthew; the latter is also mentioned in Matthew 20:20, in which she petitions Jesus to let her sons sit with him in Paradise.

^{Catholic Encyclopedia reference}

^{Catholic Culture}