The Old Testament has an insightful story about extortion. Before the Hebrews got their king, they were ruled by Judges. Eli was both a judge and a priest in the Temple of Yahweh. Now the story!
“The sons of Eli were worthless men who had no regard for Yahweh. This is how they acted with the people. When someone offered sacrifice, the servants of the priest would come while the meat was still boiling. With a fork, he would reach into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot and all that the fork brought up would be for the priests. This is how these priests treated the Israelites who went to Shiloh. Sometimes the priest’s servant would come before the fat war burned and would say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast for he will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw.” And if the man answered, “Let the fat be burned first and then take as much as you wish”, he would say, “No give it to me now, or else I will take it by force” The sin of these young priests was very great in the sight of Yahweh , because they defiled the offering of Yahweh. (1Sam. 2.12-17)
Eli was now very old. He heard how his sons dealt with the Israelites and how they slept with women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So He told them, “How can you do the things I hear about you from everyone? No my sons, what I hear from the pilgrims of Yahweh’s people is really bad news for me……….”. Yet the two would not listen to their father or Yahweh had already decided that they should die.” (1 Sam 2.22-25)
“There has been a disaster for our men; your sons Hophni and Phiehas are among eh dead and Ark of God has been taken” As soon as the man mentioned the Ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of his seat by the side of the gate. He broke his neck and died for he was old and a heavy man. Eli judged Israel for forty years” (1 Sam 4.17-18)
Amazing yet marvelous story! Who is responsible for the loss of the Ark of God? Is it the Philistines, Eli, or the sons of Eli? Does it seem that the Naga Sovereignty like the Ark of God, bartered, simply for pieces of meat and the women who serve at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting?
And the ‘Elis’? Are the parents, politicians and the church leaders back home and the leadership of the factions; all who close their eyes to such abominations like killing and extortions only dishing out pious platitudes? The enemy is within. We are our own enemies. We never spoke up like Martin Niemöller, a prominent Protestant pastor who opposed the Nazi regime. He spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. Germany, 1937.Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.”
It is good that we began speaking up, before no one is left to speak for us.
Fr. Chacko Karinthayil
Holy Cross Church
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