1 Maccabees 16:1-10: a reflection

1John went up from Gazara and told Simon his father what Cendebaeus was doing. 2Simon called his two oldest sons, Judas and John, and said to them, “I and my brothers and my father’s house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth, even to this day; and things have prospered in our hands, so that we have often delivered Israel. 3But now I am old, and you moreover, by his mercy, are of a sufficient age. Take the place of me and my brother, and go out and fight for our nation; and let the help which is from heaven be with you. 4He chose out of the country twenty thousand men of war and cavalry, and they went against Cendebaeus, and slept at Modin. 5Rising up in the morning, they went into the plain, and, behold, a great army of infantry and cavalry came to meet them. There was a brook between them. 6He encamped near them, he and his people. He saw that the people were afraid to pass over the brook, and he passed over first. When the men saw him, they passed over after him. 7He divided the people, and placed the cavalry in the midst of the infantry; but the enemies’ cavalry were exceedingly many. 8They sounded the trumpets; and Cendebaeus and his army were put to flight, and many of them fell wounded to death, but those who were left fled to the stronghold. 9At that time Judas, John’s brother, was wounded; but John pursued after them until he came to Kidron, which Cendebaeus had built. 10They fled to the towers that are in the fields of Azotus; and he burned them with fire. About two thousand men of them fell. Then he returned into Judea in peace.

As Simon grows old, and a threat comes against his people, he calls his two sons and hands the fight on to them: I and my brothers and my father's house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth even to this day; but now I am old, and you are of sufficient age; take my place, and go out and fight for our nation, and let the help of heaven be with you. Rather than clinging to the work himself, Simon graciously passes it on to the next generation, entrusting to his sons what he can no longer do, and commending them to God's help.

Notice how Simon hands on the work: graciously, entrusting it to the next generation. He had borne the responsibility long, from his youth; but now, grown old, he does not cling to it, insisting on carrying on past his time. He passes it to his sons, who are ready, entrusting to them what he had carried, and commending them to God. He recognizes that the work must go on beyond him, and that the time has come to hand it to the next generation, rather than holding it himself until he can hold it no longer.

That gracious handing on of the work is worth taking to heart, for the work we do will need to be handed on, and there is a grace in doing so well. We can cling to our responsibilities, our work, our place, unwilling to hand them on even when the time comes, as though no one could carry them but us; but Simon, grown old, graciously entrusted the work to his sons. There comes a time to hand on the work to those who come after, entrusting to them what we have carried, and commending them to God. When the time comes, hand on your work graciously to the next generation, as Simon handed the fight to his sons, rather than clinging to it past your time; entrust to those who come after what you have carried, and commend them to the help of God, that the work may go on beyond you, as Simon entrusted the battles of Israel to his sons and commended them to heaven's help.

Lord, as Simon grows old, and a threat comes against his people, he calls his two sons and hands the fight on to them: I and my father's house have fought the battles of Israel from our youth even to this day; but now I am old, and you are of sufficient age; take my place, and go out and fight for our nation, and let the help of heaven be with you. Rather than clinging to the work himself, Simon graciously passes it on to the next generation, entrusting to his sons what he can no longer do, and commending them to your help. Show me how Simon hands on the work: graciously, entrusting it to the next generation. He had borne the responsibility long; but now, grown old, he does not cling to it. He passes it to his sons, who are ready, and commends them to you. He recognizes that the work must go on beyond him. Take that gracious handing on to my heart, for the work I do will need to be handed on. I can cling to my responsibilities, my work, my place, unwilling to hand them on even when the time comes, as though no one could carry them but me; but Simon graciously entrusted the work to his sons. There comes a time to hand on the work to those who come after. When the time comes, help me hand on my work graciously to the next generation, Lord, as Simon handed the fight to his sons, rather than clinging to it past my time; and help me commend those who come after to your help, that the work may go on beyond me.