Filled with a Noble Spirit...

In 2 Maccabees chapter 7, we witness a stirring example of a mother’s love, faith, and courage as she provides counsel to her seven sons facing execution for refusing to eat pork in violation of Jewish law. The Maccabees were a band of Jewish freedom fighters who freed Judea from the Syrian-Greek occupiers during the Second Temple period. The word Maccabee is an acronym for the Hebrew words that means “Who is like You among all powers, God.”

This admirable woman extorted, “it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. Since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law” (V. 22-23).

Remarkably, her advice to her last son was to look to the heavens, and see that in his power, God made everything from nothing. Looking up can be a lifeline for us as well. Prayer is our lifeline and Jesus is our anchor. As we keep our eyes on the prize, our perspective may shift to remind us that God is bigger than our challenges or problems. Let us be encouraged by those who face suffering and death with joy to inspire us to look up to God and find strength to follow their example.