1 Maccabees 3:54-60: a reflection

54They sounded with the trumpets, and gave a loud shout. 55And after this Judas appointed leaders of the people: captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, and captains of tens. 56He said to those who were building houses, were betrothing wives, were planting vineyards, and were fearful, that they should return, each man to his own house, according to the law. 57The army marched out and encamped upon the south side of Emmaus. 58Judas said, “Arm yourselves and be valiant men! Be ready in the morning to fight with these Gentiles who are assembled together against us to destroy us and our holy place. 59For it is better for us to die in battle than to see the calamities of our nation and the holy place. 60Nevertheless, as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do.

As Judas prepares his outnumbered men for battle, he calls them to courage in doing their part, and then commits the outcome entirely to God's will: as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do. Arm yourselves and be valiant, Judas tells his men, ready to fight for their people and their holy place; for it is better to die in battle than to see the calamities of their nation. And then he adds: nevertheless, as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do. He calls his men to do their part bravely, to fight with courage for what is right; and yet he does not presume to dictate the outcome, but commits it wholly to the will of heaven. This shows doing our part with courage while committing the outcome to God's will. Do your part with courage, and commit the outcome to God's will. Be brave in what is yours to do, and leave the result to God. We are called to faithfulness and courage, not to control the outcome. Act courageously, and say, as God wills, so let it be.

Notice how Judas holds together courage and submission. On the one hand, he calls his men to do their part bravely: arm yourselves, be valiant, be ready to fight for your people and your holy place, willing even to die rather than see your nation destroyed. He does not counsel passivity, but courageous action in what is theirs to do. On the other hand, he does not presume to dictate the outcome, or to guarantee victory; he commits the result wholly to God: as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do. He holds together courageous faithfulness in doing his part with humble submission of the outcome to God's will. This is a pattern worth learning. In the things we face, we are called to do our part with courage, to act faithfully and bravely in what is ours to do, not shrinking back. But the outcome is not finally ours to control or dictate; it belongs to God. And so, having done our part courageously, we commit the result to God's will, saying, as God wills, so let it be. This frees us from the burden of controlling outcomes we cannot control, and roots us in faithfulness and trust: brave in what is ours to do, submissive in what belongs to God. We do well to do our part with courage and commit the outcome to God's will. Do your part with courage, and commit the outcome to God's will. Be brave in what is yours to do; the result belongs to God. You are called to faithful courage, not to control the outcome. Having acted bravely, say, as God wills, so let it be.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to do our part with courage and commit the outcome to God's will, as Judas called his men to be valiant and yet committed the result to the will of heaven. We can either shrink from acting or try to control outcomes not ours to control; but Judas held together courage in doing his part with humble submission of the outcome to God. Be brave, and trust God. Do your part with courage, not shrinking back; and then commit the outcome wholly to God's will, saying, as God wills, so let it be. Do your part with courage, not shrinking from what is yours to do, and then commit the outcome wholly to God's will, as Judas, preparing his outnumbered men for battle, called them to courage in doing their part and then committed the outcome entirely to God's will, telling them to arm themselves and be valiant since it was better to die in battle than to see the calamities of their nation, and adding, nevertheless, as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do; for he called his men to do their part bravely and fight with courage for what was right, yet did not presume to dictate the outcome but committed it wholly to the will of heaven, holding together courageous faithfulness with humble submission of the outcome to God, which is a pattern worth learning, since in the things we face we are called to do our part with courage and act faithfully and bravely in what is ours to do without shrinking back, but the outcome is not finally ours to control or dictate but belongs to God, so that having done our part courageously we commit the result to God's will, saying, as God wills, so let it be, which frees us from the burden of controlling outcomes we cannot control and roots us in faithfulness and trust, brave in what is ours to do and submissive in what belongs to God, so that we do well to do our part with courage and commit the outcome to God's will.

Lord, as Judas prepares his outnumbered men for battle, he calls them to courage in doing their part, and then commits the outcome entirely to your will: as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do. Arm yourselves and be valiant, Judas tells his men, ready to fight for their people and their holy place; for it is better to die in battle than to see the calamities of their nation. And then he adds: nevertheless, as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do. He calls his men to do their part bravely, to fight with courage for what is right; and yet he does not presume to dictate the outcome, but commits it wholly to your will. Show me how Judas holds together courage and submission. On the one hand, he calls his men to do their part bravely: arm yourselves, be valiant, be ready to fight, willing even to die rather than see your nation destroyed. He does not counsel passivity, but courageous action in what is theirs to do. On the other hand, he does not presume to dictate the outcome; he commits the result wholly to you: as may be the will in heaven, so shall he do. He holds together courageous faithfulness in doing his part with humble submission of the outcome to your will. This is a pattern worth learning. In the things I face, I am called to do my part with courage, to act faithfully and bravely in what is mine to do, not shrinking back. But the outcome is not finally mine to control or dictate; it belongs to you. And so, having done my part courageously, I commit the result to your will, saying, as God wills, so let it be. This frees me from the burden of controlling outcomes I cannot control. Take that to my heart. Help me do my part with courage, Lord, not shrinking from what is mine to do; and then help me commit the outcome wholly to your will, brave in what is mine and submissive in what belongs to you, saying, as you will, so let it be.