Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 23, 2023
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 two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on courage, fidelity, and the recognition of God’s presence in our lives. The first reading from 1 Maccabees tells the story of Mattathias, a Jewish priest who refuses to comply with King Antiochus’ decree to sacrifice to idols. Faced with the king’s emissaries, Mattathias boldly defends his faith, even to the point of violence, slaying the Jew who was about to offer sacrifice on the altar. His actions are not merely an act of defiance but a profound expression of his commitment to the law of God. Mattathias’ courage inspires others to join him in the wilderness, where they continue to resist the king’s oppression. This passage reminds us that our faith is worth fighting for, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
The Gospel reading from Luke presents a very different yet complementary scene. As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he weeps over the city, lamenting its failure to recognize “the time of your visitation.” Jesus’ tears express his deep sorrow for the people who have missed the opportunity to embrace the peace and salvation he offers. His words are a prophetic warning, foreseeing the destruction that will come upon the city because of its blindness. This passage challenges us to examine our own lives: are we attentive to God’s presence and the ways He seeks to draw us closer to Himself? Like Jerusalem, we risk missing the blessings of God’s visitation if we fail to recognize His presence in our midst.
Both readings, though separated by centuries, share a common theme: the call to fidelity and discernment. Mattathias’ courage to stand firm in his faith, even in the face of persecution, is mirrored in Jesus’ sorrow over Jerusalem’s lack of recognition. These stories remind us that living a life of faith requires both boldness and humility. We are called to stand firm in our commitment to God, even when it is challenging, and to remain attentive to His presence in our lives. May we, like Mattathias, have the courage to uphold our faith, and may we, like Jesus, weep with compassion for those who do not recognize the gift of God’s love. Let us strive to live with hearts open to God’s visitation, that we may embrace the peace and salvation He offers.