Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Filipino martyrs in Japan

 Lectionary: 454

Remember your Creator in the days of your,
before the evil days come
And the years approach of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them;
Before the sun is darkened....

For the amusement of young listeners and the thoughtful consideration of older folks, Qoheleth poetically lists the complaints of old age, including his failing eyesight, weak arms and hands, stooped back, useless teeth -- those few remaining -- and poor hearing. The "caper berry without effect" -- for those who are curious -- might be supplanted with Viagra. 

I remember a dear old friend. At 97, the man who had been very tall and tipped the scales at 300 pounds was bent and thin. He said he was only comfortable when he lay in bed. 

Facing 76 next month, I should have no complaints; I am alive after all, and I know many my age who aren't. But I can grumble like Qoheleth, and then be edified by today's patron saint, the young Filipino martyr who died in Japan. 

The poet concludes his lament with, 

...the dust returns to the earth as it once was,

and the life breath returns to God who gave it.

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,

all things are vanity!

But I also draw inspiration from Eleazar, the old man in 2 Maccabees. Threatened with death if he did not eat pork, he refused. When his tormentors offered a compromise for the sake of his old age -- he could pretend to eat pork while eating something else -- he still refused. He would not give scandal to the young Jews who might suppose he had betrayed his faith for the sake a few more years. 

At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many of the young would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion.

If I dissemble to gain a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring defilement and dishonor on my old age.

Even if, for the time being, I avoid human punishment, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hand of the Almighty.

Therefore, by bravely giving up life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age,

and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.” (2 Maccabees 6:24-28) (The divine author of the four Maccabees chronicles was rather prolix.) 

Today the world faces an epidemic of suicide, especially among the young. This is a choice which should not be considered, and is never necessary. It's not on the table for the Lord's disciples. But many young people, scandalized by the suicide of a grandparent and suffering a romantic breakup or a failing grade, take their own lives. That should not happen, and the blame is partially on the cowardly elder who should have set an example of courage and patience for his grandchildren. 

We might mumble, "Vanity of vanities, all things are vanity" as we rouse our weary flesh and disturb our noisy knee, back, and elbow joints in the morning but in obedience we can still Rise and Shine! for the young who need to see our love of life and delight in serving God. 

I hear the young saying to one another, "Get over yourself!" We were told a long time ago, that we must take up our crosses daily and follow in his steps. And the same Lord would certainly tell Qoheleth and his sympathizers, "Get over yourself!"