Murder of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.

Today, March 15th called the Ides of March was an important date on the Roman calendar that was marked by a number of religious celebration and became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. It was a turning point in Roman history as the death of Caesar was one of the events that marked the transition from the historical period known as the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire went on to reign for 500 years before declining and decaying. The Roman Empire, like Empires before it, Greek empire and ones after it, British empire, were great military powers that ruled a large part of the world but eventually declining.

The priest at our liturgy today suggested that we might be in a similar cycle where abuse of power, wealth and military might slowly leads to moral decay and death of empire. We will see, if we live long of enough, about this decline of American empire.

Morality or lack of morality is one of the first things to go when an empire, kingdom or nation, whatever you choose to call it, is on the decline. Exceptionalism allows to dominate and kill other non-Americans since being exceptional we do not need to conform to normal rules or general principles as other nations do. In America we say “all men (and women) are created equal”. However we do not treat them as equal. Being poor or black or having a criminal record our severe obstacles to equal opportunity.

The nation that Jesus presents in the Judgment of Nation as being honorable in the Gospel, Matthew 25, is just the opposite of what we are becoming. It is the nation that feeds the poor, clothes the naked, takes care of sick, no matter how rich or poor they be, and visits those in prison becomes that greatest of nations, not one with most military resources.

Talking to my oldest grandson today I think instinctively he understands some of this. Hopefully education, ambition and money will not take him away from these natural concerns for the good of all. Julius Caesar was killed by other Roman officials who eventually were revenged and killed and the resulting empire brought peace by strength for awhile but eventually declined.

Is it the Ides of March for the U.S.A.? If so, let’s get ready, get together and be prepared.

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