SERMONS
Excerpt from NE American Diocese by Fr. George T Ireland
The Syriac term "Hoodhosh Etho" meaning, "The Feast of Dedication of the Church", has a connection with "the Feast of Dedication of the Old Testament Church", which took place approximately three months after the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:1-10:21). It was also called ‘Hanukkah or Chanukah" which was of 8 days celebrations by the Jews. Like Diwali to the Hindus, it was a ‘Festival of Light" to the Jews.
The temple of Jerusalem, though beautifully built by King Solomon, was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar. Under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, it was rebuilt and preserved. Again it underwent destruction. King Herod for the third time renovated it extensively. In BC 170, the Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes, greatly influenced by the Greek culture, wanted to replace the Jewish religion with the Greek religion and custom. He decided to wage war against the kingdom of Judah and finally, he invaded the city of Jerusalem. 80,000 people were massacred and an equal number of people were taken captives. It was during this time that St. Solomonia (Morth Shmooni) and her 7 children were brutally assassinated. A large quantity of wealth from the temple was looted and the booty was estimated to be 1,800 talents. The house of God was made a house of harlots. As a result, the worship in the temple was obstructed. He even defiled the holy temple of Jerusalem by sacrificing a female swine on the holy altar as an offering to the Greek deity Zeus. Antiochus was permitted by God to carry out this insane desecration of the holiest temple because of the sins of the people. It was not just because Antiochus was bent on destruction, but because the Lord allowed it for the good of his people.
In 164 BC, the Jews succeeded in retrieving the temple of Jerusalem from the Greeks and they renovated and refined the temple. Judas Maccabeus took the initiative in consecrating the desecrated temple. We learn of this story from the books of Maccabees of the Holy Bible. In commemoration of this act of rededication and as a mark of their joy of freedom, the Jews began to celebrate it flamboyantly. This feast came to be known as ‘festival of light" as there were many lights to illuminate the temple and houses of the Jews who celebrated it. It was in this background, that Christ our Lord said that He was the “Light of the world” (John 8:12). It is meaningful that Christ chooses to talk to the people in a ‘winter" season for the reason that winter has a symbolic representation of darkness or death which is always followed by ‘spring" indicative of a renewed life and brightening of light.
Antiochus Epiphanes was the personification of all evil. Even in the present time, similar forces of evil still exist causing the closing down of many a church. Factionalism, fundamentalism, cultism, and secularism are the main factors for such spiritual tragedies. We see in the book of Maccabees that some lawless and traitorous men were coming forth from the sons of Israel by persuading many to yield to the Hellenistic customs, ordinances of the gentiles and finally succumbing themselves to the authority of King Antiochus. Similarly, there are some extremist people in the present Church too who bear the yoke of evil forces.
The unwavering faith shown by the Jewish scribe Eleazar and the 7 Maccabean martyrs along with their mother Morth Shmoomi , by defying valiantly the sacrilegious commands of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes and by just ignoring the fierce persecution from the King for the sake of God, are prototypes of all Christian martyrs. They have set a model for true witnessing which we all have to emulate.
Please bear in mind that we have a collective as well as individual responsibility to keep ourselves away from defilement owing to our sinful acts, for it is written that we are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in us (1 Cor 3:16).
By celebrating the "Hoodhosh Etho" every year, the church is expected to renew and rededicate itself as a community bearing the beacon of light to the society around which fumbles in the darkness of evil. It is the time to introspect whether we can commit ourselves fully to our calling or not. Let us prayerfully work hard to be as good as Christ in rendering selfless service to our fellow-beings and to live a holy life to the glory of God and in tune with His statutes.
Have we been angry lately? If we have, today in the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that we have committed murder. Have we had lustful thoughts lately? If we have today in the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that we have committed adultery. Have we coveted someone’s possessions lately? If we have today in the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that we have committed theft.
We see this in the Gospel reading today, where the rich man was truly, based on his obligations, a good person. But Christ was not at all impressed with his spiritual or monetary accomplishments. Christ was looking to see if he had a relationship with the Father. In Christ’s examination of the man, he exposes his obsession with money. Money is not the issue here; but rather that he saw his accomplishments and obligations greater than a relationship with God. Money here represents the man’s reliance on his earthly and religious accomplishments, rather than pursuing a relationship with God.
