by Pat Pagulayan
Although most
of the book of Maccabees is about the battles that Judas, Jonathan, and Simon
fought and the allies they have made, the highlight for me was the fatherhood
of Mattathias. It's amazing how even though there's just literally one chapter
on him in the entire book (1 Maccabees 2), the influence he has made on his
sons set the plot for the rest of the story. All that he did was to stand up
for God and for what his faith dictates of him and pass it on to his sons –
simple yet remarkable and longstanding.
He drew
examples from the characters in the scriptures to teach and remind his sons to
trust the Lord (1 Macc 2:51-60), and trust the Lord they did. His final words
before his death reminds me that it is not about being successful, but about
being faithful. It also reminds me that even if I don't understand the things
that are going on in my life, I just need to be faithful and trust God because
even if I don't see/feel it, He is always working. Just like the characters
Mattathias referred to, they didn't know what God was doing in their lives, yet
they remained faithful to Him.
That being
said, it is easier said than done.
But we just
keep on trying – to trust and be faithful.
As Mattathias
said, "None of those who put their trust in Him will lack strength."
(1 Macc 2:61)
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