1 Maccabees 2:6-13: a reflection

6He saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in Jerusalem, 7and he said, “Woe is me! Why was I born to see the destruction of my people and the destruction of the holy city, and to dwell there when it was given into the hand of the enemy, the sanctuary into the hand of foreigners? 8Her temple has become like a man who was glorious. 9Her vessels of glory are carried away into captivity. Her infants are slain in her streets. Her young men are slain with the enemy’s sword. 10What nation has not inherited her palaces and taken possession of her spoils? 11Her adornment has all been taken away. Instead of a free woman, she has become a slave. 12Behold, our holy things, our beauty, and our glory are laid waste. The Gentiles have profaned them. 13Why should we live any longer?”

When Mattathias sees the desolation of Jerusalem and the profaning of the temple, he is overcome with grief. Woe is me! he cries. Why was I born to see the destruction of my people and the destruction of the holy city? He mourns the vessels of glory carried away, the sanctuary given to foreigners, the holy things profaned: Behold, our holy things, our beauty, and our glory are laid waste. His is a holy grief, a deep mourning over what is sacred being desecrated. And this grief, far from paralyzing him, would move him to act, to rise up in defense of what was holy. His grief over the desecration of the holy stirred him to action.

Notice the holy grief of Mattathias, and where it led. He did not look on the desecration of the temple with indifference; he grieved deeply, mourning the profaning of what was sacred, feeling the loss to his very soul. But his grief was not a despairing paralysis; it was a holy sorrow that would move him to rise up and act in defense of the holy. He grieved rightly over what was desecrated, and that grief stirred him, rather than sinking him into despair. His deep mourning over the desecration of the sacred was the seedbed of his action, not an end in itself; the grief moved him to do something about what he mourned.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can grieve rightly over what is holy and desecrated, and let that grief move us to act. We can look on the desecration of what is sacred, the profaning of holy things, with indifference, or with a despairing paralysis; but Mattathias grieved deeply and was moved by his grief to act. There is a holy grief that mourns what is desecrated and, rather than sinking into despair, stirs us to do something. Do not look on the desecration of the holy with indifference, nor let grief over it sink you into despair; grieve rightly, and let that grief move you to act. Grieve rightly over what is holy and desecrated, letting that grief move you to act rather than sinking into indifference or despair, as Mattathias mourned the profaned temple and was stirred to rise up; for a holy grief over the desecration of the sacred is right, and it is meant to move us to defend and restore what is holy, not to leave us paralyzed.

Lord, when Mattathias sees the desolation of Jerusalem and the profaning of the temple, he is overcome with grief. Woe is me! he cries. Why was I born to see the destruction of my people and the destruction of the holy city? He mourns the vessels of glory carried away, the sanctuary given to foreigners, the holy things profaned: behold, our holy things, our beauty, and our glory are laid waste. His is a holy grief, a deep mourning over what is sacred being desecrated. And this grief, far from paralyzing him, would move him to act. Show me the holy grief of Mattathias, and where it led. He did not look on the desecration of the temple with indifference; he grieved deeply, mourning the profaning of what was sacred. But his grief was not a despairing paralysis; it was a holy sorrow that would move him to rise up and act in defense of the holy. He grieved rightly over what was desecrated, and that grief stirred him, rather than sinking him into despair. His deep mourning was the seedbed of his action. Take that to my heart, for I too can grieve rightly over what is holy and desecrated, and let that grief move me to act. I can look on the desecration of what is sacred with indifference, or with a despairing paralysis; but Mattathias grieved deeply and was moved by his grief to act. Keep me from looking on the desecration of the holy with indifference, nor letting grief over it sink me into despair; help me grieve rightly, Lord, and let that grief move me to act, as Mattathias mourned the profaned temple and was stirred to rise up.