Alexander the Great had embarked on an incredible military journey—his goal was to Hellenize the world—that is, to spread the greek language, the greek culture, the greek Gods. He conquered the known world stopping just shy of India. But Alexander suddenly leaving his vast empire, which included Canaan, to his generals.
The rule of the Greeks was originally fairly sensitive and tolerant of the Jewish religion, but there was a power shift within the Greek Empire which led to the tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes coming to power, whose name we’ve been hearing this week. Antiochus Epiphanes imposed a program of Radical Hellenization—he wanted all traces of the Jewish faith wiped out, under penalty of death-- the Jews could not worship, nor could they practice their faith in any way that distinguished them from the Hellenists— they could not observe the Sabbath, not only were they not to observe the laws of circumcision, they were supposed to cover up the mark of their circumcision.
Today and yesterday, we heard how the Jews were being forced to deny their faith by violating publically Jewish dietary law.
Yesterday, we heard of the courageous old man, Eleazar, who refused to eat pork because it was contrary to Jewish dietary law. Moreso, he refused to pretend to eat pork to appease the king. He refused this offer to save his life because it would cause scandal to the young people.
Today, we heard of a mother with seven sons. The youngest son had been offered riches and happiness by the king, if he but broke the Jewish law. The son wouldn’t, so the king appealed to the mother to persuade her son to accept his offer to save his life. She betrayed her faith to save their lives. After she repents of betraying her faith and asking her sons forgiveness, her son stands courageous and remains faithful.
A priest, here in our diocese was teaching a class on the persecution of the early church. How Christians, in a similar way to the Jews in these stories from Macabees, were forced to offer pagan sacrifice to the emperor in order to save their lives.
A woman in the class raised her hand and said, “I don’t know what the big deal is…if a soldier with a machine gun came into this class right now, I’d pretend not to be Christian to save my life.”
Today, our faith is once again being attacked. Many of the baptized do not even step inside a Church once a year, let alone identify themselves first and foremost as Christians. Their faith, likely, would not stand against a persecution.
It is not always politically or socially acceptable to profess the Christian faith. But we profess it because it is true. Jesus is the only name by which we can be saved, we must not deny him, but profess him courageously.
May the Lord grant us true courage is professing our faith, and make us models of faith for others, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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