The Book of Judith
Chapter
4
¹ When the Israelites living in Judea heard of everything that Holofernes, the general of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Assyrians, had done to the nations, and how he had plundered and destroyed all their temples, ² they were therefore greatly terrified at his approach; they were alarmed both for Jerusalem and for the temple of the Lord their God.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 1 to 2)
Oh God my Father that we may always be concerned about the well-being of our spiritual welfare as much as that of our material welfare. I pray that we all give You the number one priority in our life Amen.
³ For they had only recently returned from exile, and all the people of Judea had just now gathered together, and the sacred vessels and the altar and the temple had been consecrated after their profanation. ⁴ So they sent word to every district of Samaria, and to Kona, Beth-horon, Belmain, and Jericho, and to Choba and Aesora, and the valley of Salem. ⁵ They immediately seized all the high hilltops and fortified the villages on them and stored up food in preparation for war-since their fields had recently been harvested.
³ For they had only recently returned from exile, and all the people of Judea had just now gathered together, and the sacred vessels and the altar and the temple had been consecrated after their profanation. ⁴ So they sent word to every district of Samaria, and to Kona, Beth-horon, Belmain, and Jericho, and to Choba and Aesora, and the valley of Salem. ⁵ They immediately seized all the high hilltops and fortified the villages on them and stored up food in preparation for war-since their fields had recently been harvested.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 3 to 5)
Oh God how nice it would be if we took the same precautions against anything that causes us to sin, instead of opening our gates to temptation. Our spiritual welfare would be better safeguarded Amen. Oh God I pray that You protect me against the enemy especially during moments of temptation Amen.
⁶ The high priest, Joakim, who was in Jerusalem at the time wrote to the people of Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which faces Esdraelon opposite the plain near Dothan, ⁷ ordering them passes, since by them Judea could be invaded; and it would be easy to stop any who tried to enter, for the approach was narrow, wide enough for only two at a time to pass.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 6 to 7)
Oh God my Father many times by means of the Holy Spirit, who speaks to us by means of the Pope and many others, You give us instructions in regarding how to lead our daily life. These are passed on to us by means of letters or at times important documents called Encyclicals. Amen. You oh God my Father, make us aware of our weak points where the evil one can attack and harm us even as a society and as a global family Amen.
⁸ So the Israelites did as they had been ordered by the high priest Joakim and the senate of the whole people of Israel, in season at Jerusalem.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verse 8)
Oh God my beloved Father how nice it would be if we had to obey our Pope and priests when they guide is in our social and spiritual lives. Every time we go to Church You give us one lesson after another by means of the homely which is based on the messages of the Good News of the Bible Amen.
⁹ And every man of Israel cried out to God with great fervor, and they humbled themselves with much fasting.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verse 9)
Oh God my beloved Father, does it need to be a crisis in our lives in order to motivate us to have an abnormal motivation for prayer and fasting? I find it unfair to use You like a convenience shop or a Petrol Station. I am sorry for being lax in prayers during the week-end, however You know that even when I am away from You, in Spirit we are still close to each other, for You are always on my mind and in my heart Amen.
¹⁰ They and their wives and their children and their cattle and every resident alien and hired laborer and purchased slave they all put sackcloth around their waists. ¹¹ And all the Israelite men, women, and children living at Jerusalem prostrated themselves before the temple and put ashes on their head and spread out their sackcloth before the Lord. ¹² They even draped the altar with sackcloth and cried out in unison, praying fervently to the God of Israel not to allow their infants to be carried off and their wives to be taken as booty, and the towns they had inherited to be destroyed, and the sanctuary to be profaned and desecrated to the malicious joy of the Gentiles.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 10 to 12)
Oh God my beloved Father, when calamity hits home we tend to become united within ourselves and with others. We achieve that sense of unity out of fear of our welfare. I pray oh God that even when we are not in a state of danger we will be united in faith love and hope especially those who like myself proclaim that we believe in You Amen. I pray oh God my Father that we turn back from our ways and seek repentance. Amen.
¹³ The Lord heard their prayers and had regard for their distress; for the people fasted many days throughout Judea and in Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁴ The high priest Joakim and all the priests who stood before the Lord and ministered to the Lord, with sackcloth around their loins, offered the daily burnt offerings, the votive offerings, and freewill offerings of the people. ¹⁹ With ashes on their turbans, they cried out to the Lord with all their might to look with favor on the whole house of Israel.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 13 to 19)
Oh God my beloved Father, when we genuinely show sorrow and repentance, You shower us with Your acts of mercy and compassion. You are aware that the only thing that we can do when left to our own devices is sin. I pray that You save me from my sinful self for I am still human and prone to sin. Amen.
Oh God my beloved Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
Oh God my Father the evil one is launching one attack after another and I feel breathless and alone even though I know that You are with me. I feel broken within myself and desperately need Your help. If You are going to act my God and Father this is the right time or else please do not judge me on the outcome of the future Amen. I am sorry Jesus God my Father
Oh God how nice it would be if we took the same precautions against anything that causes us to sin, instead of opening our gates to temptation. Our spiritual welfare would be better safeguarded Amen. Oh God I pray that You protect me against the enemy especially during moments of temptation Amen.
⁶ The high priest, Joakim, who was in Jerusalem at the time wrote to the people of Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which faces Esdraelon opposite the plain near Dothan, ⁷ ordering them passes, since by them Judea could be invaded; and it would be easy to stop any who tried to enter, for the approach was narrow, wide enough for only two at a time to pass.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 6 to 7)
Oh God my Father many times by means of the Holy Spirit, who speaks to us by means of the Pope and many others, You give us instructions in regarding how to lead our daily life. These are passed on to us by means of letters or at times important documents called Encyclicals. Amen. You oh God my Father, make us aware of our weak points where the evil one can attack and harm us even as a society and as a global family Amen.
⁸ So the Israelites did as they had been ordered by the high priest Joakim and the senate of the whole people of Israel, in season at Jerusalem.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verse 8)
Oh God my beloved Father how nice it would be if we had to obey our Pope and priests when they guide is in our social and spiritual lives. Every time we go to Church You give us one lesson after another by means of the homely which is based on the messages of the Good News of the Bible Amen.
⁹ And every man of Israel cried out to God with great fervor, and they humbled themselves with much fasting.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verse 9)
Oh God my beloved Father, does it need to be a crisis in our lives in order to motivate us to have an abnormal motivation for prayer and fasting? I find it unfair to use You like a convenience shop or a Petrol Station. I am sorry for being lax in prayers during the week-end, however You know that even when I am away from You, in Spirit we are still close to each other, for You are always on my mind and in my heart Amen.
¹⁰ They and their wives and their children and their cattle and every resident alien and hired laborer and purchased slave they all put sackcloth around their waists. ¹¹ And all the Israelite men, women, and children living at Jerusalem prostrated themselves before the temple and put ashes on their head and spread out their sackcloth before the Lord. ¹² They even draped the altar with sackcloth and cried out in unison, praying fervently to the God of Israel not to allow their infants to be carried off and their wives to be taken as booty, and the towns they had inherited to be destroyed, and the sanctuary to be profaned and desecrated to the malicious joy of the Gentiles.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 10 to 12)
Oh God my beloved Father, when calamity hits home we tend to become united within ourselves and with others. We achieve that sense of unity out of fear of our welfare. I pray oh God that even when we are not in a state of danger we will be united in faith love and hope especially those who like myself proclaim that we believe in You Amen. I pray oh God my Father that we turn back from our ways and seek repentance. Amen.
¹³ The Lord heard their prayers and had regard for their distress; for the people fasted many days throughout Judea and in Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁴ The high priest Joakim and all the priests who stood before the Lord and ministered to the Lord, with sackcloth around their loins, offered the daily burnt offerings, the votive offerings, and freewill offerings of the people. ¹⁹ With ashes on their turbans, they cried out to the Lord with all their might to look with favor on the whole house of Israel.
(The Book of Judith Chapter 4 verses 13 to 19)
Oh God my beloved Father, when we genuinely show sorrow and repentance, You shower us with Your acts of mercy and compassion. You are aware that the only thing that we can do when left to our own devices is sin. I pray that You save me from my sinful self for I am still human and prone to sin. Amen.
Oh God my beloved Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
Oh God my Father the evil one is launching one attack after another and I feel breathless and alone even though I know that You are with me. I feel broken within myself and desperately need Your help. If You are going to act my God and Father this is the right time or else please do not judge me on the outcome of the future Amen. I am sorry Jesus God my Father
