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"Beauty above all beauty!"
– St. Catherine of Siena

Friday, April 17, 2020

Notable Quote: Jerusalem Laments, From the Book of Baruch


Background:

The Book of Baruch was written by the scribe of the prophet Jerimiah after the Israelites were enslaved during the Babylonian captivity.  I will only speak of the first five chapters.  The sixth chapter is apparently an addition which calls itself “A Letter from Jerimiah” and appeals to the Israelites to not succumb to the idolatry of their Babylonian masters.  As the Introduction to the NAB edition states at the USCCB website http://usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=Baruch&ch= the Book attempts to encode the captivity in “Deuteronomic cycle: sin (of Israel), punishment, repentance, and return (cf. Jgs 2; also Dt 28–33).”  The Book uses two voices throughout, that of the scribe and that of a personified Jerusalem.  The Book speaks in prayer, in poetry, in appeal, and in lamentation.  It is quite beautiful in places.  I’m going to quote a section where the author speaks in the voice of Jerusalem addressing the subjugated and captive Israelites.

Jerusalem Addresses Diaspora

17 What can I do to help you?
18     The one who has brought this evil upon you
    must himself deliver you from your enemies’ hands.
19 Farewell, my children, farewell;
    I am left desolate.
20 I have taken off the garment of peace,
    have put on sackcloth for my prayer of supplication;
    while I live I will cry out to the Eternal One.
21 “Take courage, my children; call upon God;
    he will deliver you from oppression, from enemy hands.
22 I have put my hope for your deliverance in the Eternal One,
    and joy has come to me from the Holy One
Because of the mercy that will swiftly reach you
    from your eternal Savior.
23 With mourning and lament I sent you away,
    but God will give you back to me
    with gladness and joy forever.
24 As Zion’s neighbors lately saw you taken captive,
    so shall they soon see God’s salvation come to you,
    with great glory and the splendor of the Eternal One.

-Jerusalem Addresses the Diaspora Baruch 4:19-22, NABRE

In the language, one gets echoes of the coming Savior.

You can read more on the Book of Baruch at these websites:
From New Advent
From Wikipedia



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