Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 500

Although all the Gentiles in the king’s realm obey him,
so that each forsakes the religion of his fathers
and consents to the king’s orders,
yet I and my sons and my kin 
will keep to the covenant of our fathers.

More than a thousand years before Mattathias and his sons rebelled against the Seleucid rulers of Israel, Joshua had announced to his people, 

"As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) 

As they entered the Promised Land. with a future of secure prosperity open before them, the Hebrews were more than ready to pledge everlasting fealty to the Lord who had delivered them. If that meant strict adherence to religious observances and ethical laws as Moses had spelled them out, so be it! And why not? 

Subsequent history would prove that their loyalty cost far more than they imagined. Not because God's laws were so difficult to understand and obey, but because the human heart is less willing than we suppose. No sooner do we make an agreement than we begin to test the limits of that agreement. We suppose that the path is, or should be, far wider than it actually is. 

By the time of the Maccabean uprising, the Jews had a long history; they remembered God's fidelity through good times and bad, in prosperity and want. But despite that memory, many were ready to explore their options with other gods; and especially the gods which the Greek invasion offered. They had only to surrender their ancient religious customs -- including abstinence from unclean food and circumcision -- and make sacrifices to the new gods of their overlords. If it also cost them their identity as Jewish people and God's elect, they didn't suppose they'd miss either one. 

But the God of Abraham, Moses, David, and Mattathias didn't see it that way. The LORD had sworn everlasting love to his people and would not let them go. Joshua had told them as much, 

You may not be able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God; he is a passionate God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.

If you forsake the LORD and serve strange gods, he will then do evil to you and destroy you, after having done you good.” 

But the people insisted, “No! We will serve the LORD.”

Forever is a very long time. At the beginning of forever we cannot imagine all the troubles and challenges we might face. But, despite the impenetrable fog of the future, we make vows as married couples, religious, and priests with great confidence in ourselves. 

After a lifetime, realizing my fidelity has been stained by serious and sinful distractions, I thank the God who has remained faithful to His side of the covenant; and I reflect with wonder that he has continually called me back and assisted me through hard times. The future remains impenetrable, especially in the United States where I hear of increasing lawlessness among all classes of society, and less fidelity to the covenant of our ancestors. It is doubly painful for the loss of our children to the faith. 

We must not resort to violence. Our "soldiers" are those who keep the faith despite the threats and abuse of the enemy. Their peaceful witness wins the ideological wars where violence always fails. For we remember -- and God remembers -- His fidelity since the day he called Abraham friend.