Daily Readings - Mon Nov 15 2021

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 For since we have withdrawn from them, many evils have found us.¹³And the word seemed good in their eyes¹⁴And some of the people determined to do this, and they went to the king.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 the nature of faith, perseverance, and the struggle against oppression. The first reading from 1 Maccabees paints a vivid picture of a time of great trial for the Jewish people. The rise of Antiochus Epiphanes brought desecration of the Temple, the imposition of pagan practices, and widespread suffering. Yet amidst this darkness, the Maccabees emerged as defenders of their faith, refusing to compromise their traditions even in the face of overwhelming odds. Their story is one of courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to God’s covenant. The Gospel reading from Luke offers a different kind of struggle, as a blind man on the roadside cries out to Jesus for mercy. Despite the crowd’s attempts to silence him, the man persists, his voice growing louder with each rebuke. Jesus stops, heals him, and restores his sight. This miracle is not just a physical healing but a spiritual one, as the man’s faith is revealed to be the source of his salvation. His persistence in the face of discouragement reminds us that true faith is not passive but active, willing to overcome obstacles to reach out to God. Both readings, though separated by centuries, speak to the same truth: faith is the foundation of our relationship with God, and it must be lived out with courage and perseverance. In the face of cultural pressures, personal struggles, or even outright persecution, we are called to remain steadfast in our commitment to God. Like the Maccabees, we must resist the forces that seek to erode our faith, and like the blind man, we must trust in God’s power to transform our lives. Let us ask ourselves: where are we being called to stand firm in our faith? How can we, like these examples, trust in God’s providence and allow our faith to shine through in the midst of challenges? May we, too, cry out with persistence, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us!” and may our faith lead us to see the world—and ourselves—with new eyes.