THEOSISBeda Venerabilis
The community was enthusiastic about constructing the city wall, yet this sacred mission faced obstacles due to a severe famine. This famine arose not only from a scarcity of grain but also from the avarice of the leaders who demanded more from the people than they could afford. Such scenarios unfold regularly among us. How many among God’s people strive to obey His commandments through their determination but find their efforts thwarted not just by financial hardship and deprivation, but also by the conduct of others?
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These individuals, although donning the mantle of piety, impose heavy burdens and prioritize earthly matters over spiritual concerns for those they claim to protect, providing little for their eternal salvation—lacking in guidance, examples of virtuous living, or passionate dedication to acts of devotion. If only a Nehemiah, a true comforter from the Lord, would arise in our time to guide us from error, to ignite within us a passion for heavenly matters, and to empower us to redirect our efforts away from self-indulgence towards the edification of Christ’s city!
Examining the situation literally, the lamentations of the beleaguered people arose from three distinct causes. Some, driven by their desperate hunger, resorted to selling their own children to wealthier individuals in exchange for sustenance; others, wishing to protect their children, were ready to relinquish their fields and homes for food. Meanwhile, there were those who, refusing to sell either their children or lands, insisted on borrowing money to pay the king’s taxes, pledging their fields and vineyards as collateral until the harvests returned, allowing them to repay their debts.