33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green/White/Red)
St. Clement I, pope & martyr / St. Columban, abbot / Bl. Miguel Augustín Pro, priest & martyr
Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
1st Reading: 1 Mac 2:15-29
In the meantime, the king’s representatives, who were forcing the Jews to give up their religion came to Modein to organize a sacred gathering.
While many Israelites went to them, Mattathias and his sons drew apart.
The representatives of the king addressed Mattathias, and said to him: “You are one of the leaders of this city, an important and well-known man, and your many children and relatives follow you. Come now, and be the first to fulfill the king’s order, as the men of Judah have already done, and the survivors in Jerusalem as well. You and your sons will be named friends of the king and the king will send you gold, silver and many other gifts.”
But Mattathias answered in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations included in the kingdom should abandon the religion of their ancestors and submit to the order of king Antiochus, I, my sons and my family will remain faithful to the Covenant of our ancestors. May God preserve us from abandoning the law and its precepts. We will not obey the orders of the king nor turn aside from our religion either to the right or to the left.”
When he finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward, in the sight of everyone, to offer incense on the altar that was built in Modein, according to the king’s decree. When Mattathias saw him, he was fired with zeal. His heart was stirred; and giving vent to his righteous anger, he threw himself on the Jew and cut the man’s throat on the altar. At the same time, he killed the king’s representative who was forcing the people to offer sacrifice; and then tore down the altar. In doing this, he showed his zeal for the law, as Phinehas had done with Zimri, son of Salu.
Mattathias then began to proclaim loudly in the city: “Everyone who is zealous for the law and supports the Covenant, come out and follow me!” Immediately he and his sons fled to the mountains and left behind all they had in the city.
Many Jews who looked for justice and wanted to be faithful to the law went into the desert.
Gospel: Lk 19:41-44
When Jesus had come in sight of the city, he wept over it, and said, “If only today you knew the ways of peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Yet days will come upon you, when your enemies will surround you with barricades, and shut you in, and press on you from every side. And they will dash you to the ground and your children with you, and not leave stone upon stone within you, for you did not recognize the time and the visitation of your God.“
REFLECTION:
The entire Mystery of Incarnation is considered to be God‘s visitation to his people. God, through his son made man, visited his people more than two thousand years ago. Sad to say, as the gospel would say, they failed to recognize the time of their visitation. They failed to recognize Him. They were very concerned about their political hopes so that their spiritual life was neglected. They interpreted the Bible in the political sense instead of believing in the teachings of Jesus. In short, they did not welcome Jesus and they rejected him because they failed to recognize in him the God visiting his people.
Even after Jesus had returned to the Father, He still continuously “visits“ His people. He “visits“ His people through the ministers of the Church, through the Word of God being proclaimed, and through the sacraments especially the Eucharist that the Church celebrates. Jesus also makes His presence felt every time a community is gathered in His name. He also “visits“ us through the ordinary events of our life.
Like the Jews during Jesus‘ times, many times we also failed to recognize Him. We failed to welcome Him and let Him enter into our life. Thus, we missed a lot of blessings which we could have received from Him.
Let us now be conscious of His “ visits“ to us, recognize Him, welcome Him and let Him stay in our life.
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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