The books of 1 and 2 Maccabees in the Old Testament tell the story of a Jewish revolt against the occupying Greek government that took place in the years of 175 to 134 BC. The original Hebrew text of these books has been lost to history, so they are only included in the Catholic Bible, not in the Protestant and Hebrew versions. The Greek government suppressed Jewish worship in the Temple, replacing it with pagan rituals. In the passage we hear today, the Jewish revolt has succeeded, with Jewish faith traditions being restored in the Temple. This connects to Jesus’ anger at the way the Temple in his day had also been turned from a house of prayer to a place of business and commerce. How are we keeping God’s place holy in our own day? And how are we incorporating prayer in our own lives? Does prayer have a place in our lives? Or do we not have time for it?
I want to mention the saint we celebrate today: St Cecilia. She is one of the most famous of the Roman martyrs, but like some of the saints from the early Church, her story grew with time and the passing of history. Tradition passes down that Cecilia was a young Christian of high rank who betrothed to a Roman named Valerian. Cecilia, her husband, his brother, and several others were martyred, according to tradition. It is said that she sang to God with her heart at her wedding, which is why she is named the patron saint of music. The national academy of St Cecilia in Rome, established back in the 16th century, is one of the most prestigious and oldest musical institutions in the world. Today, we unite our prayers with the prayers of St Cecilia.
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