Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/358

 Now there  was  in  the  city  a woman  named  Judith,  of  rare beauty and  of  great  wealth,  who,  being  a widow,  lived  retired  in her  own  house,  and  spent  her  days  in  prayer  and  good  works. Being touched  with  compassion  for  the  sad  condition  of  her  people, she presented  herself  before  the  ancients  of  the  city  and  said: “What is  this  word  by  which  you  have  consented  to  give  up  the city within  five  days? You have  set  a time  for  the  mercy  of  the Lord according  to  your  pleasure. This is  not  a word  that  may draw down  mercy,  but  rather  indignation. Let us  therefore  be penitent  for  this  same  thing,  and  remember  that  all  the  Saints were tempted  and  remained  faithful;  but  that  those  who  rejected the trials  of  the  Lord  were  destroyed. And let  us  believe  that these scourges  have  happened  for  our  amendment  and  not  for our destruction.”

The ancients,  inspired  by  these  noble  words,  begged  her  to pray  for  the  people. She consented,  and  retiring  to  her  oratory, clothed herself  in  hair-cloth,  put  ashes  on  her  head,  and  falling prostrate before  the  Lord,  she  besought  Him  to  humble  the enemies of  her  nation. While she  thus  prayed,  Almighty  God inspired her  with  the  thought  that  she  should  go  into  the  camp of the  enemy  and  cut  off  the  head  of  the  Assyrian  general Holofemes.

Then, putting  off  the  haircloth,  she  immediately  arrayed herself in  her  richest  garments,  perfumed  herself  with  the  best ointments, plaited  her  hair,  and  adorned  herself  with  bracelets, earlets, and  rings. And the  Lord  increased  her  beauty,  because all her  dressing  up  did  not  proceed  from  vanity. Then she took a servant-maid  with  her  and  set  out  for  the  camp  of Holofernes.

Being brought  before  Holofernes,  the  tyrant  was  charmed with her  majestic  beauty,  and  supposing  that  she  had  fled  from her own  people,  ordered  her  to  receive  every  attention,  and  to be  allowed  to  go  and  come  as  she  pleased. On the  fourth  day Holofernes gave  a grand  banquet  to  the  officers  of  his  army. He and they  overcharged  themselves  with  wine,  and  when  they  lay