Jonas, Shepherd of Bethlehem and Martyr of the Esdraelon Plain
This Judean is one of the twelve shepherds of the Nativity.
After the Dispersion caused by the massacre of the innocents, he becomes overseer for Doras, a harsh Pharisee of Galilee who martyres him. He falls into slavery, like most of his other servants, because of the subtle and dishonest schemes of this cruel man:"This is how Doras operates, and he is not the only one in Israel: when he discovers a good servant, he leads him by a subtle ruse to become a slave. He charges his account with inaccurate sums that the poor man cannot pay, and when it reaches a certain amount, he says: 'Now you are my slave for [[Debts, Debtors|debts].' Jonas, as long as he had savings, could pay... then... One year it was hail, another drought. The wheat and the vine yielded little and Doras multiplied the loss by ten and then by ten again... Then Jonas became ill from excess labor. And Doras lent him money for treatment, but demanded twelve for one and Jonas, having no means to repay, added it to the rest. In short: a few years later, he became a slave for the debts. And he will never let him go... He will always find reasons and new debts." [1]Victim of systematic evil treatment: beaten because the harvests are exceptionally good while others were not. Beaten after each theft committed by nearby Samaritans. He quickly declines.
Jesus blesses Doras' lands to prevent heavy toil for the farmers.[2] The harvests then become abundant. Despite this, Doras knowingly deceives Jesus who comes to ransom old Jonas.[3] After several grave lies, including one invoking God (perjury), his lands are then cursed.
Jonas, ransomed at great cost and brought to Nazareth in Jesus' house, dies there as a Blessed, in an angelic vision of the Nativity.[4]
Apostolic Journey
Witness of the Nativity.[5]
Despite this, Jonas had time to sow the good word among the peasants of the Esdraelon Plain (those of GioCana and those of Doras).[6] Like many shepherds, he had evangelized based solely on the beatific vision he had at the Nativity.
His Name
Jonas means "Dove." Historical reference: the prophet Jonas.
Where is he mentioned in the work?
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