Mary Magdalen (for Holy Saturday)

I’ve been rereading the Catholic Bible, which I hadn’t looked over in a few years. I’m having a lot of fun, although I keep spotting verses I’d like to use in my talks to the children’s club at my parent’s church and cannot because they aren’t accepted by the Evangelical churches, which is really a pity.

Judith
This is incredibly fantastic, everyone should read this story! It is as good a thriller as Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, only it is historical! Anyone who says the Bible was all about subjugating women should read this book. The heroine is both beautiful, wise and spiritually mighty. This isn’t a matter of wandering into a courtroom like Esther– Judith openly walked right in to an entire camp of hostile enemy soldiers! I’d love to have half her courage, faith and wisdom.

Book of Wisdom
Many people pass this one by because they figure it is just the same as Proverbs. While there are many similarities, think of this book as an expansion of the chapter on Wisdom. Like on other traditional writings, wisdom is personified as a woman and this takes a journey with her. We learn about how wisdom was there during the creation of the world, how she is never apart from God, and it is all told in a beautiful and captivating fashion.

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus
I am still reading through this one (it is rather long) and at first I thought it was just another rewrite of proverbs. Now that I’m getting more chapters in, however, it has definitely taken a life of its own. I was particularly moved by the long section on speaking. It discussed how painful gossip can be– and how it is like an arrow lodged in the person’s thigh. There were comments on when to be silent and when to speak– about the differences between wise and foolish speech. Highly interesting and detailed suggestions!