Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 21, 2019
First Reading: 1 Maccabees 2.15-29
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Psalm 50
1The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.3Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.4He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:5"Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"6The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah7"Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.8Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.9I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.10For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.11I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.12"If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.13Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?14Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,15and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."16But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?17For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.18If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.19"You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.20You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son.21These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.22"Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!23The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"
Gospel: Luke 19.41-44
41And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,42saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.43For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side44and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful stories of faith, courage, and the consequences of rejecting God’s will. The first reading from 1 Maccabees tells the story of Mattathias, a Jewish priest who refused to comply with King Antiochus’ decree to abandon the law of God. When a Jew approached the altar to sacrifice to idols, Mattathias, filled with righteous anger and fidelity to the law, killed both the man and the king’s emissary. His bold act of defiance became a rallying cry for those who sought to remain faithful to God. This passage reminds us that true faith requires courage and the willingness to stand firm, even in the face of overwhelming opposition.
The Gospel reading from Luke presents a stark contrast. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, lamenting the city’s failure to recognize “the time of your visitation.” He foresees the destruction that will come upon the city because its people did not accept the peace God offered through him. Jesus’ sorrow reveals the depth of God’s love and the tragedy of spiritual blindness. Just as Mattathias stood firm in his faith, Jesus calls us to remain open to God’s presence and to recognize the gifts of grace He offers us.
Both readings challenge us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Mattathias’ courage inspires us to stand firm in our faith, even when it is difficult. Jesus’ lament reminds us to remain attentive to God’s presence in our lives and to embrace the peace He offers. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, we are called to be faithful and discerning, trusting in God’s plan and remaining open to His will. Let us strive to live with the courage of Mattathias and the humility to recognize God’s visitation in our lives.