Parish Madness Pre-Season Week 2

PARISH MADNESS

Here we are in week 2 of the Pre-season of Lent. Are you enjoying the Olympics? Talk about gold medalists! Here are this week's featured Bible Heroes and Stalwart Saints.

Deborah:  Deborah was a prophetess and judge of Israel.  When she commanded Barak to lead the army of Israel against the Canaanites, he refused to go unless Deborah went with him.  Deborah led the army into battle, defeated the Canaanite king, Jabin, and the Israelites had forty years of peace afterwards.

St. Marianne Cope:  Marianne was anxious to aid the lepers exiled to the island of Molokai when most people stayed well away from the colony.  Her years as the superior at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse had prepared her well for serving the Hawaiian leper community.  When 50 other congregations turned down the assignment, Marianne and her congregation jumped at the chance.  Not only did they take charge of the receiving station and the home for men and boys, they also opened a hospital, a school for girls, and a home for single women and girls and set new standards for cleanliness helping people take pride in their community.

Judith:  Judith lived during the years of the Assyrian invasions of Israel.  She was a young widow with a sterling reputation, greatly respected by her community.  When the people of her city wanted to give the city over to the Assyrians, Judith took matters into her own hands.  After fasting and praying, Judith dressed herself up and went to the tent of the Assyrian commander, Holofernes.  She convinced Holofernes that she had defected, and he granted her asylum in his tent, but when he fell asleep, she took his own sword, cut off his head, and took it back to her people.  Then she rallied the Israelite troops to route the Assyrians.

St. Joan of Arc:  Joan was a soldier who led troops led French troops to victory over the English during the Hundred Years’ War.  Joan had holy visions since she was twelve, and it was one of these visions which convinced the French king to allow Joan to lead his army.  Captured by the English in a later battle, Joan stood trial for witchcraft and was burnt at the stake.

John the Baptist:  Dressed in camel’s hair and eating locusts, John came out of the Judean desert preaching repentance and baptizing followers in the Jordan River.  Never soft spoken, he called out King Herod for marrying his brother’s wife, and he called out the religious rulers of the day for hypocrisy.  His preaching made him many enemies, not the least of which was Herod, who had John beheaded.

St. Frances Xavier:  An early follower of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Frances was one of the first generation of Jesuits.  He embraced the Great Commission to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, which, for him, meant journeying to and evangelizing in Asia.  Caring for the poor and the sick filled him with much joy, and he is credited with bringing the Christian faith to Japan.

Ezra:  Ezra was born during the Babylonian captivity but elected to return to Jerusalem when the decree of the Persian king, Cyrus, allowed the return from exile.  He led the Israelites returning with him and the restoration of the Temple.  He served as priest and scribe and taught the Mosaic Law to his people.

St. Frances of Assisi:  Born a noble, Frances denounced his wealth by dramatically stripping himself of all his luxurious clothing in the public square of Assisi.  Someone draped him with a rough brown robe which he wore for the rest of his life.  Frances believed God had called him to rebuild God’s church which Frances did by establishing a traveling order of preachers, the Franciscans, whom he encouraged to spread the Gospel by ministering to the needs of the poor.  His best-known quote is: “Preach always.  Use words if necessary.”