1 Maccabees 13:25-30: a reflection

25Simon sent, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried him at Modin, the city of his fathers. 26All Israel made great lamentation over him, and mourned for him many days. 27Simon built a monument on the tomb of his father and his kindred, and raised it high so that it could be seen, with polished stone on the front and back. 28He also set up seven pyramids, one near another, for his father, his mother, and his four brothers. 29For these, he made an elaborate setting, erecting great pillars around them, and upon the pillars he made suits of armor for a perpetual memorial, and beside the suits of armor, he carved ships, so that they could be seen by all who sail on the sea. 30This is the tomb which he made at Modin. It remains to this day.

When Jonathan is killed, his brother Simon gathers his bones and buries him honorably, and builds a lasting monument over the tomb of his father and brothers, a memorial to those who had gone before. Simon built a monument on the tomb of his father and his kindred, the account says, and raised it high so that it could be seen, for a perpetual memorial. Simon honored his family who had gone before him, giving them an honorable burial and a lasting memorial, so that they would be remembered. This reflects a good and human instinct: to honor and remember those who have gone before us, to memorialize them, to keep their memory alive. This shows the value of honoring and remembering those who have gone before us. Honoring and remembering the dead is a good instinct. Simon built a memorial to keep his family's memory alive. We do well to honor and remember those who went before. Remembering those who have gone before honors them.

Notice Simon's care to honor and remember his family who had died. He gathered his brother's bones and buried him in the family place; he built a monument over the tomb of his father and brothers, raised high to be seen, a perpetual memorial. He did not simply move on and forget those who had gone before; he took care to honor them, to memorialize them, to keep their memory alive for those who came after. This reflects a good and deeply human instinct, one that Scripture and the church affirm: to honor those who have gone before us, to remember them, to keep their memory alive rather than letting them be forgotten. Remembering and honoring the dead, our family, our forebears, those whose lives shaped ours, is a fitting thing. It honors them, it keeps us mindful of the generations before us and of the debt we owe them, and it reminds us of our own mortality and the hope of resurrection. We do well to remember and honor those who have gone before us, rather than forgetting them. Honoring and remembering the dead keeps their memory alive and honors them. Do not simply forget those who went before; remember and honor them. Remembering our forebears keeps us mindful of the generations before us. It is fitting to honor and remember those whose lives shaped ours.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is fitting to honor and remember those who have gone before us, as Simon honored his father and brothers with an honorable burial and a lasting memorial. We can move on quickly and forget those who have died, letting their memory fade; but Simon took care to bury his brother honorably and to build a memorial to his family, keeping their memory alive. Remembering the dead honors them. Do not simply forget those who have gone before you; remember and honor them, keeping their memory alive. Honor and remember those who have gone before you, keeping their memory alive rather than letting them be forgotten, as Simon, when his brother Jonathan was killed, buried him honorably in the family place and built a lasting monument over the tomb of his father and brothers, raised high for a perpetual memorial; for it is a good and deeply human instinct, affirmed by Scripture and the church, to honor those who have gone before us and keep their memory alive rather than moving on and forgetting them, and remembering and honoring the dead, our family, our forebears, those whose lives shaped ours, honors them, keeps us mindful of the generations before us and the debt we owe them, and reminds us of our own mortality and the hope of resurrection, so that we do well to remember and honor those who have gone before us.

Lord, when Jonathan is killed, his brother Simon gathers his bones and buries him honorably, and builds a lasting monument over the tomb of his father and brothers, a memorial to those who had gone before. Simon built a monument on the tomb of his father and his kindred, the account says, and raised it high so that it could be seen, for a perpetual memorial. Simon honored his family who had gone before him, giving them an honorable burial and a lasting memorial, so that they would be remembered. This reflects a good and human instinct: to honor and remember those who have gone before us. Show me Simon's care to honor and remember his family who had died. He gathered his brother's bones and buried him in the family place; he built a monument, a perpetual memorial. He did not simply move on and forget those who had gone before; he took care to honor them, to keep their memory alive for those who came after. This reflects a good and deeply human instinct, one that Scripture and the church affirm: to honor those who have gone before us, to remember them, rather than letting them be forgotten. Remembering and honoring the dead, my family, my forebears, those whose lives shaped mine, is a fitting thing. It honors them, it keeps me mindful of the generations before me and of the debt I owe them, and it reminds me of my own mortality and the hope of resurrection. Take that to my heart, for it is fitting to honor and remember those who have gone before me. Keep me from simply moving on and forgetting those who have died; help me remember and honor them, Lord, keeping their memory alive, mindful of the generations before me and the hope of resurrection, as Simon honored his father and brothers with an honorable burial and a lasting memorial.