Tuesday
of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
(II
Maccabees 6:18-31; Luke 19:1-10)
In Erik
Erickson’s classic study of the social life cycle final consideration is given
to “ego integrity.” By this term the
author means an integration of one’s life without despair. It is the acceptance of death with
tranquility because life has been lived according to principle. Certainly Eleazar dies with such integrity in
today’s first reading.
The scene
is quite graphic. The old man is being
forced to do his religion’s abominable act of eating pork. When he refuses, his friends tell him to fake
the abomination in order to save his life.
But Eleazar knows that such a travesty is a fate worse than death. He chooses to die with integrity and leave
behind a rich legacy to Jews throughout the ages.
As we grow
old, we should be seeking ego integrity.
The task does not require exertion as much as thought, conviction, and
sacrifice. We must discern our life
principles that include faith and aspects of our culture and decisions we have made
along the way. We might share these
principles so that others could help us see them through. Perhaps they require repentance of the
mistakes that we have made in failing to live up to Christ’s commands. Then we must take care to practice them until
the end.
