Daily Readings - Mon Nov 18 2019

¹⁰And they all put diadems on themselves after his death, and their sons after them, for many years; and evils were multiplied on the earth¹¹And there went forth from among them a sinful root, Antiochus the illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome. And he reigned in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks¹²In those days, there went forth from Israel sons of iniquity, and they persuaded many, saying: "Let us go and negotiate a covenant with the Gentiles that are all around us. For since we have withdrawn from them, many evils have found us.¹³And the word seemed good in their eyes¹⁴And some of the people determined to do this, and they went to the king. And he gave them the power to act according to the justice of the Gentiles¹⁵And they built a sports arena in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the Nations⁴¹Her sanctuary was desolate, like a place of solitude, her feast days were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into disgrace, her honors into nothing⁴²Her shame was multiplied according to her glory, and her loftiness was turned into lamentation⁴³And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people must be one, and that each one should relinquish his own law⁵⁴And these ordered the cities of Judah to sacrifice⁵⁵And many from the people, who had abandoned the law of the Lord, were gathered together by them. And they committed evils upon the land⁵⁶And they drove the people of Israel into hiding and into the secret places of fugitives⁵⁷On the fifteenth day of the month of Kislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation on the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the surrounding cities of Judah⁶²And on the twenty-fifth day of the month, they sacrificed on that altar which was opposite the high altar⁶³And the women who circumcised their sons were butchered, according to the order of king Antiochus⁶⁴And they suspended the children by their necks in all their houses, and those who had circumcised them, they butchered

Luke

Chapter 18

³⁵Now it happened that, as he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the way, begging³⁶And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this was³⁷And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by³⁸And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!³⁹And those who were passing by rebuked him, so that he would be silent. Yet truly, he cried out all the more, "Son of David, take pity on me!⁴⁰Then Jesus, standing still, ordered him to be brought to him. And when he had drawn near, he questioned him⁴¹saying, "What do you want, that I might do for you?" So he said, "Lord, that I may see.⁴²And Jesus said to him: "Look around. Your faith has saved you.⁴³And immediately he saw. And he followed him, magnifying God. And all the people, when they saw this, gave praise to God

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, perseverance, and the struggle between darkness and light. The first reading from 1 Maccabees describes a time of great trial for the Jewish people. The Temple in Jerusalem, the heart of their worship and identity, was desecrated by the pagan ruler Antiochus, who sought to erase their faith and impose his own idolatrous practices. Many Jews were persecuted for remaining faithful to the law of Moses, and even some among them abandoned their traditions to conform to the ways of the Gentiles. This passage reminds us of the enduring tension between fidelity to God and the pressures of a world that often rejects His truth. The Gospel reading from Luke offers a stark contrast to this darkness. Jesus, on His way to Jericho, encounters a blind man who cries out for mercy. Despite being rebuked by the crowd, the man persists in his plea, addressing Jesus as the "Son of David," a title rich with messianic significance. Jesus stops, calls the man to Him, and restores his sight through a simple yet profound act of faith. This miracle is not just a physical healing but a spiritual one, as the man’s persistence in the face of rejection reflects the kind of faith that overcomes even the greatest obstacles. The crowd’s amazement and praise of God underscore the transformative power of encountering Christ. These readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Like the blind man, we often find ourselves in spiritual darkness, unable to see the path forward. Yet, Jesus calls us to cry out to Him with persistence and trust, even when others discourage us. The first reading reminds us that our faith will be tested, and we must remain steadfast, refusing to compromise our values or abandon the traditions that connect us to God. In a world that often pressures us to conform, we are called to be like the Maccabees, defending our faith even in the face of adversity. Let us ask ourselves: Do we have the courage to stand firm in our beliefs? Do we trust in God’s plan, even when the road ahead seems uncertain? May we, like the blind man, turn to Jesus with unwavering faith, knowing that He alone can restore our sight and lead us to true freedom.