1 Maccabees 10:61. "A group of pestilent men from Israel, lawless men, gathered together against [Jonathan Maccabeus] to accuse him; but the king paid no attention to them." 

Maccabees, again! The first reading on Monday was from Maccabees, and the priest who said Mass was commenting on how everything being described in that reading is happening again today. After Mass we were talking about how timely all of Maccabees is - it is a blueprint for us in our times, I think!

The king here is Alexander, who had just been married to Cleopatra, sealing his alliance with Egypt. After his wedding, he wrote to Jonathan Maccabeus to come meet him, a meeting which Jonathan left in peace and gladness. Alexander was making alliances and consolidating his power. Obviously, some lawless men from Israel did not want this alliance be made, so they gathered together against Jonathan and accused him before Alexander. But Alexander paid no attention to them.

Oh for a leader who would pay no attention to lawless and pestilent men! We are surrounded by such men (and women!) these days. They have an outsized influence in all of our institutions and are essentially governing by tantrum. Whenever there is an issue or a person they feel strongly about (and frankly, that's pretty much everything and everyone, as they politicize everything!) they "gather together" against it and raise such a mean-spirited, and often violent, uproar that our feckless leaders often capitulate to their demands. Why can we not have leaders who simply ignore these people and negotiate in good faith with all sides of an issue, coming to a reasonable, helpful solution, rather than issuing an edict dictated by a small, lawless group of people?

I am hoping very much that we eventually get a leader willing to do this. But if we don't, I have to remember that we get the leaders we deserve, and try to change hearts and minds rather than becoming pestilent myself.