That title shall we give to the Maccabees? Few
people honor them, because they did not fight after the coming of Christ. Yet
they deserve universal honors, for they suffered courageously for their
traditions; and if they were martyrs before the Passion of Christ, what would
they not have done if they had been persecuted after Christ, and if they had
been able to imitate the death which he suffered for us? If, in spite of the
lack of such an example, they were so virtuous, what generosity would they not have
shown if they had had his example in danger?
It is a mysterious and unspeakable thing, but at
the same time, one which seems to me, as to all those who love God, extremely
likely, that none of those who reached perfection before the coming of Christ attained
it independently of faith in Christ. For, if the Word was not clearly
manifested till later in his own time, there were pure souls who had a
presentiment beforehand, as is proved by all the saints who lived before
Christ. We must not, then, look down on the Maccabees because they preceded the
Cross; on the contrary, we must praise them for being conformed to the Cross
and they merit to be honored by our praise. Not that it renders them an
increase of glory—for their glory lies in their deeds—but because those who
praise them may be themselves glorified, because those who listen become
imitators of their virtues, and may be stimulated, by their history, to imitate
their zeal.
In this book we read of Eleazar who was the first
Of the martyrs before Christ, as Stephen was the first after Christ. He is a
grey-headed prudent old priest, who, offering first of all, sacrifice and
prayers for the people, offered himself to God and then the seven brothers as a
living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God.
Then we see these generous and magnanimous
brothers, noble sons of a noble mother, ardent champions of truth, true
disciples of the law of Moses, faithful observers of their ancestral customs.
They had only one desire, one aim, they knew but
one road to life, to die for the law of God. They were brothers no less in
spirit than in body. Oh! marvel! Only covetous of each other's death. They
snatched at agony as at a treasure, and imperiled themselves by fidelity to the
teaching of the law, not so much fearing the torments then facing them as
longing for those yet to come. They had only one fear and that was that the
tyrant should put an end to the suffering.
Then we see also a strong and generous mother, who
has a passionate love of her sons and her God at the same time, and whose heart
was rent with a torture above nature. She did not pity her children's
sufferings; she was afraid lest they should not suffer. She did not regret
those who had died, rather she wished that the rest should join them. What a
virile soul in the body of a woman! What a sacrifice greater than that of
Abraham!
And we, priests, mothers and children, let us
imitate the Maccabees. Priests, honor your true spiritual father, Eleazar, who
showed what was best, both in word and act. Mothers, honor this generous mother
by showing a true love for your sons, leading them to Christ, in order to
sanctify your marriage by this means. Children, honor these holy children, not
spending your youth in vile passions, but in fighting against them. I wish for
athletes at all times and in all manners, of all sexes and all ages: I wish
some to fight in the open, and others to suffer persecution in secret; so that,
in the new as in the old Testament, God may be glorified among us, as he is
glorified in the Son and in the Spirit. Amen.
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