The first reading for today comes from the Book of Maccabees and introduces a concept that is extremely relevant for today's society. It describes how the Greeks had conquered Israel and how the Jewish people decided to conform to their ways of life instead of being killed. Out of fear of persecution, the Jews gave up the Law of God and worshiped the gods of the Greeks.
Yet, there is hope within today's reading. It is written,
"But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die." 1 Maccabees 1:62-63Consequently, while we see many Jews who decided to conform to the secular society of its day; we also see many Jews who stood firm in the midst of persecution and died because of their love of God and His laws. This is a foreshadowing of Christian martyrs of any time period and is a great example of faithfulness to God's commands.
In the end, we should never submit to the "law of the land," but always submit ourselves to God's law. For, it is God's law that offers true happiness and not what the current society says. God's law actually offers freedom, while the law of sin offers slavery.
How can we stand firm like the many Jews in the time of the Maccabees? Let us beseech God and say with the blind man in today's Gospel: "Son of David, have pity on me!" (Luke 18:38). For it is only with God can we stand firm against the "snares of the wicked" and remain faithful to our most loving and compassionate God.
