Word to the Wise
Monday, November 16, 2015 - Monday in the 33th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Macc 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63 and Luke 18:35-43]But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. [1 Maccabees]
If one is inclined to view the encroachment of a secular view of life as a threat to one's faith and the faith of one's friends and family, it could be instructive to read the story of the Jewish revolt in the books of the Maccabees. The Holy Land was always subject to invasions and military campaigns. Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia and Persia all had control of the area at one time or another. Then came Alexander the Great from Greece. When he died while campaigning somewhere near India, his generals divided up his territory, which included the land that Israel and the Palestinians fight over now.
The impact of Alexander went far beyond military occupation. It meant the introduction of Greek culture, language and social practices. It included food and athletic events that Jews would find offensive and most especially it meant Greek polytheistic religion. Many Jews found the Greek way to be attractive and "sophisticated." The result was that descendants of Alexander's generals who were ruling the area not only introduced Greek ways, but officially banned Jewish practices.
A zealous group of Jews who were determined to overthrow the "pagan" way of life formed and began a revolt. It is interesting to note that the descendants of this revolt were the Pharisees. The revolt succeeded but eventually the power vacuum led to a Roman invasion. The Romans were more tolerant of local religion, and the situation into which Jesus was born was during that occupation.
The tension between our faith and attractive features of secular society is ever with us. It can be anything between a conflict of soccer and confirmation class or allowing tax money to support Planned Parenthood! There are even those who feel that real Catholicism is the one they remember from the post World War II American Catholic scene and everything else is a threat. The Pharisees, for all their good intentions, could make life either focused or compulsive. In any case, when we take a good look at our own faith as Catholics, can we detect those compromises - great and small - that creep into our lives? Consider the Maccabees! AMEN
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