Daily Readings - Thu Nov 23 2017

First Reading - 1 Maccabees 2.15-29

¹⁵And those who had been sent from king Antiochus came to that place, to compel those who fled into the city of Modin to immolate, and to burn frankincense, and to depart from the law of God¹⁶And many of the people of Israel consented and came to them. But Mattathias and his sons stood firm¹⁷And those who had been sent from Antiochus, responding, said to Mattathias: "You are a ruler, and very splendid and great in this city, and you are adorned with sons and brothers¹⁸Therefore, approach first, and carryout the order of the king, as all the nations have done, and the men of Judah, and those who remained in Jerusalem. And you and your sons will be among the friends of the king, and enriched with gold and silver and many gifts.¹⁹And Mattathias responded, and he said with a loud voice: "Even if all nations obey king Antiochus, so that each one departs from the service of the law of his fathers and consents to his commandments²⁰I and my sons and my brothers will obey the law of our fathers²¹May God be forgiving to us. It is not useful for us to abandon the law and the justices of God²²We will not listen to the words of king Antiochus, nor will we sacrifice, transgressing the commandments of our law, so as to set out on another way.²³And, as he ceased speaking these words, a certain Jew approached in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the order of the king²⁴And Mattathias saw, and he grieved, and his temperament trembled, and his fury was enkindled according to the judgment of the law, and leaping up, he slaughtered him on the altar²⁵Moreover, the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to immolate, he killed at the same time, and he destroyed the altar²⁶and he was zealous for the law, just as Phinehas did to Zimri, the son of Salomi²⁷And Mattathias exclaimed with a loud voice in the city, saying, "All who hold zeal for the law, maintaining the covenant, let them follow me.²⁸And he and his sons fled to the mountains, and they left behind whatever they had in the city²⁹Then many who sought judgment and justice went down into the desert

Gospel - Luke 19.41-44

Luke

Chapter 19

⁴¹And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying⁴²"If only you had known, indeed even in this your day, which things are for your peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes⁴³For the days will overtake you. And your enemies will encircle you with a valley. And they will surround you and hem you in on every side⁴⁴And they will knock you down to the ground, with your sons who are in you. And they will not leave stone upon stone within you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.

Sermon

The first reading from 1 Maccabees tells the story of Mattathias, a Jewish priest who refused to comply with King Antiochus' decree to sacrifice to idols and abandon the law of God. When a Jew in his city attempted to obey the king's command, Mattathias, filled with righteous anger and fidelity to God, killed both the man and the king's emissary, then destroyed the altar. He called upon all who were faithful to the law to follow him, and they fled to the mountains to continue their resistance. This passage highlights the courage and conviction required to stand firm in one’s faith, even in the face of persecution and societal pressure. The Gospel reading from Luke presents a very different scene. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, lamenting that its people did not recognize "the time of your visitation." He foresees the destruction that will come upon the city because its inhabitants failed to discern the significance of his presence among them. This passage emphasizes the importance of spiritual awareness and the tragic consequences of missing God’s offer of peace and salvation. Both readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God and our commitment to living according to His will. Mattathias’ boldness reminds us that faith requires sacrifice and the courage to stand against worldly influences that contradict God’s law. Jesus’ lament, on the other hand, challenges us to remain spiritually alert and open to God’s presence in our lives. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, we must strive to discern God’s voice and remain faithful, even when it is difficult. Let us pray for the grace to be both courageous and attentive, that we may live as true witnesses of God’s love and truth.