33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Red)
St. Andrew Dung-Lac, priest & Companions, martyrs

1 Chr 29:10bcd, 11abc, 11d-12a, 12bcd
We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

1st Reading: 1 Mac 4:3-37, 52-59

But Judas learned of this. So he went out with his men to attack the king’s army in Emmaus, while the enemy troops were still dispersed outside the camp. Gorgias arrived at the camp of the Jews by night but found no one there. He then began to search for them in the mountains, for he thought: “They are running away from us.”

But at daybreak, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men who had not the armor or swords they would have liked. They saw the camp of the pagans with its strong fortifications and the cavalry surrounding it—all trained men in war. Judas said to his men: “Do not fear the number of the enemy or be afraid of their attack. Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea when Pharaoh’s army pursued them. Cry out to God, for, if he so wishes, he will remember his Covenant and destroy that army before us this very day. And all the nations will know that Someone saves and liberates Israel.”

The pagans looked up and saw the Jews coming down against them, so they came out of their camp to face them in battle. Judas had the trumpets sounded and his men attacked. The pagans were defeated and fled to the plain, but all the rear guard fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazara, to the plains of Idumea, of Azot and Jamnia and killed about three thousand of the enemy.

When Judas and his army stopped chasing them, he said to the men with him: “Do not think of the booty now, for another battle awaits us. Gorgias with his army is in the hills close by. Remain ready to fight them, and, afterward you can gather the plunder with nothing to worry about.” He had barely finished speaking when an army detachment appeared on the hillside. These men saw that their own troops had fled and their camp had been destroyed, for the smoke that rose up from the camp was enough to tell them this. So they were terrified. And when they saw the army of Judas drawn up on the plain ready for battle, they fled to the land of the Philistines.

So Judas and his men returned to plunder the camp. They carried off valuable booty. And on their return, they sang and praised heaven: For he is good, and his mercy is eternal.

That day was a great victory for Israel. The pagans who had escaped went to Lysias and told him what had happened. When he heard this, he was dismayed and depressed because things in Israel had not gone as expected, and he had not carried out the king’s command.

The following year, he organized an army of sixty thousand men and five thousand cavalry to confront the Jews. They advanced into Idumea and encamped at Bethzur. Judas came out with ten thousand men to meet them in battle. When he saw their military strength, he prayed, “Blessed are you, Savior of Israel, who broke the warrior’s strength by the hand of your servant David, and handed over the camp of the Philistines to the power of Jonathan, son of Saul, and to his armor-bearer.

In the same way, give this army into the hands of your people Israel, and let the confidence they place in their power and in their horses be destroyed. Fill them with fear. Shatter their confidence in their own strength. May they be defeated and recover no more. Deliver them to the sword of your faithful people so that all who know you may praise your name.”

Both sides attacked, and five thou sand men from the army of Lysias fell dead. Lysias saw that his army was disheartened, while Judas and his men grew bolder and were ready to live or to die nobly. So he retreated to Antioch, where he recruited mercenaries to strengthen his army, for he planned to return to Judea.

Then Judas and his brothers said: “Our enemies are defeated, so let us go up and purify the Holy Place and consecrate it again.” And all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion.

On the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight (in the year 164 B.C.) they arose at dawn and offered the sacrifice prescribed by the law on the new altar of holocausts which they had built. It was precisely at that same time and date that the pagans had profaned it before; but now they consecrated it with songs, accompanied by zithers, harps and cymbals. All the people fell prostrate and blessed Heaven that had given them happiness and success. They celebrated the consecration of the altar for eight days, joyfully offering holocausts and celebrating sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise. The front of the temple was adorned with crowns of gold and shields; and the gates and the rooms had been restored and fitted with doors.

There was no end to the celebration among the people; and so the profanation of the temple by the pagans was forgotten. Finally, Judas, his brothers and the whole assembly of Israel agreed to celebrate the anniversary of the consecration of the altar annually for eight days, from the twenty-fifth of the month of Chislev, in high festivity.

 

Gospel: Lk 19:45-48

Then Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out the merchants. And he said to them, “God says in the Scriptures, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of robbers!“

Jesus was teaching every day in the temple. The chief priests and teachers of the law wanted to kill him, and the elders of the Jews as well, but they were unable to do anything, for all the people were listening to him and hanging on his words.

 

REFLECTION:

For the Jews, their temple is an important and sacred place. It is where God meets his people and lives among them. Unfortunately, their temple suffered desecration from the hands of the gentiles as narrated to us in the First Reading, and even from the Jews themselves as we have seen in the Gospel Reading. It needed Judas to purify and re-dedicate the temple desecrated by the Gentiles. It needed Jesus, prefigured by Judas in the First Reading, to cleanse the temple that the Jews turned to a “den of thieves“.

There is a similarity between the temple and our soul, which by baptism becomes temple of the Holy Spirit. The condition of the desecrated temple is the same as the condition of a soul desecrated by sin. The purification and re-dedication of the temple resembles the sacrament of Reconciliation. As purification cleanses the temple, so reconciliation cleanses the soul from the stain of sins.

As we make our physical church clean and a conducive place to communion with God, let us also make our souls clean and a conducive place where God can meet us and make his dwelling in us.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
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Web: www.claretianph.com
Daily Reflection 2017

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

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
Daily Reflection 2017

 

33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Red)
 St. Cecilia, virgin & martyr

Ps 17:1bcd, 5-6, 8b & 15
Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

1st Reading: 2 Mac 7:1, 20-31

It happened also that seven brothers were arrested with their mother. The king had them scourged and flogged to force them to eat the flesh of a pig which was prohibited by the law.

More than all of them, their mother ought to be admired and remembered. She saw her seven sons die in a single day. But she endured it even with joy for she had put her hope in the Lord. Full of a noble sense of honor, she encouraged each one of them in the language of their ancestors. Her woman’s heart was moved by manly courage, so she told them:

“I wonder how you were born of me; it was not I who gave you breath and life, nor I who ordered the matter of your body. The Creator of the world who formed man in the beginning and ordered the unfolding of all creation shall in his mercy, give you back breath and life, since you now despise them for love of his laws.”

Antiochus thought that she was making fun of him and suspected that she had insulted him. As the youngest was still alive, the king tried to win him over not only with his words, but even promised to make him rich and happy, if he would abandon the traditions of his ancestors. He would make him his Friend and appoint him to a high position in the kingdom. But as the young man did not pay him any attention, the king ordered the mother to be brought in. He urged her to advise her son in order to save his life. After being asked twice by the king, she agreed to persuade her son. She bent over him and fooled the cruel tyrant by saying in her ancestral language:

“My son, have pity on me. For nine months I carried you in my womb and suckled you for three years; I raised you up and educated you until this day. I ask you now, my son, that when you see the heavens, the earth and all that is in it, you know that God made all this from nothing, and the human race as well. Do not fear these executioners, but make yourself worthy of your brothers—accept death that you may again meet your brothers in the time of mercy.”

When she finished speaking, the young man said, “What are you waiting for? I do not obey the king’s order but the precepts of the law given by Moses to our ancestors. And you who have devised such tortures against the Hebrews, shall not escape the hands of God.

 

Gospel: Lk 19:11-28

Jesus was now near Jerusalem, and the people with him thought that God‘s reign was about to appear. So as they were listening to him, Jesus went on to tell them a parable. He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country in order to be crowned king, after which he planned to return home. Before he left, he summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds of silver. He said, ‘Put this money to work until I get back.‘ But his compatriots, who disliked him, sent a delegation after him with this message, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.‘

He returned, however, appointed as king. At once he sent for the servants, to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in, and reported, ‘Sir, your pound of silver has earned ten more pounds of silver.‘

The master replied, ‘Well done, my good servant! Since you have proved yourself faithful in a small matter, I can trust you to take charge of ten cities.‘ The second reported, ‘Sir, your pound of silver earned five more pounds of silver.‘ The master replied, ‘And you, take charge of five cities!‘

The third came in, and said, ‘Sir, here is your money, which I hid for safekeeping. I was afraid of you, for you are an exacting person: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.‘

The master replied, ‘You worthless servant, I will judge you by your own words! So you knew I was an exacting person, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? Why, then, did you not put my money on loan, so that, when I got back, I could have collected it with interest?‘

Then the master said to those standing by, ‘Take from him that pound, and give it to the one with ten pounds.‘ But they objected, ‘Sir, he already has ten pounds!‘

The master replied, ‘I tell you, everyone who has will be given more; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for my enemies who did not want me to be their king, bring them in, and execute them right here in front me!‘“

So Jesus spoke, and then he passed on ahead of them, on his way to Jerusalem.

 

REFLECTION:

It must have been painful for a mother to see her child dying. Doubly agonizing it is for a mother to see her child being killed in front of her. Completely heartbreaking, however, is for a mother to see all her sons die in a single day. This exactly was the fate of the mother of the seven brothers whom King Antiochus put to death for refusing to abandon the tradition of their ancestors. What is amazing here is that “full of a noble sense of honor, she encouraged each one of them in the language of their ancestors“ to bravely face death instead of despising their traditions. Even more remarkable, “she endured it even with joy she had put her hope in the Lord.“

What this mother had undergone reminds us of the suffering that the Mother of God has endured while she was at the foot of the cross witnessing the passion of her dying son Jesus. It was painful for her to see her son dying on the cross. But like the mother of the seven brothers, Mary patiently bore the pains for she knew it was necessary for her son to die as ransom for many.

Coincidentally, we also celebrate today the memorial of another courageous woman, St. Cecilia. She offered her life and suffered martyrdom than to deny her Christian faith.

May we follow the courage of these women to endure everything for the sake of our faith.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
Daily Reflection 2017

33Rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
 Psalter: Week 4 / (White)
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
The Lord upholds me.

1st Reading: 2 Mac 6:18-31

Eleazar, one of the prominent teachers of the Law, already old and of noble appearance, was forced to open his mouth to eat the flesh of a pig. But he preferred to die honorably than to live in disgrace, and voluntarily came to the place where they beat him to death. He spat out bravely the piece of meat, as should be done by those who do not want to do things prohibited by the law, even to save their life.

Those in charge of this impious banquet took him aside, since they had known him for a long time, and tried to convince him to pretend to be eating the meat, but in reality, to eat something allowed by the law and prepared by himself. In this way, he could escape death, and be treated with humanity for the sake of their long-time friendship.

But he preferred to make a noble decision worthy of his age, of his noble years, of his shining white hair, and of the irreproachable life he had led from childhood. Above all, showing respect for the holy laws established by God, he answered that he would rather be sent to the place of the dead. And he added, “It would be unworthy to pretend at our age, and to lead many young people to suppose that I, at ninety years, have gone over to the pagan customs. If I led them astray for the sake of this short life I would bring disgrace to my old age. Even if I could now be saved from mortals, I cannot—whether living or dead—escape from the hands of the Almighty. I prefer to bravely sacrifice my life now, as befits my old age. So I shall leave an excellent example to the young, dying voluntarily and valiantly for the sacred and holy laws.”

Having said this, he gave himself over to death.

Those who escorted him considered his words foolishness, so their previous gentleness turned into harshness.

When he was almost at the point of death, he said groaning, “The Holy Lord, who sees all, knows that though I could have saved myself from death, I now endure terrible sufferings in my body. But in my soul, I suffer gladly because of the respect I have for him.” In his death, he left a noble example and a memorial of virtue and strength, not only to the young but to the whole nation.

 

Gospel: Lk 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man named Zaccheus lived there. He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see him because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jesus, who was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house today.“ So Zaccheus climbed down and received him joyfully.

All the people who saw it began to grumble, and said, “He has gone as a guest to the house of a sinner.“ But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, “Half of what I own, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.“ Looking at him Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.“

 

REFLECTION:

Being of small stature, Zaccheus had difficulty in seeing Jesus as He passed by because of the crowd. The crowd hindered him from seeing Jesus. But the sycamore tree became instrumental in helping him to see Jesus. He climbed a sycamore tree which was along Jesus‘ route and Jesus noticed and told him to come down because he would be staying at his house. That was the beginning of his conversion.

Zaccheus represents those people who want to come to Jesus but because of their physical, social or spiritual condition they could not just do so. The crowd represents those people who, instead of helping others, would discourage or hinder them from encountering Jesus. The sycamore tree represents those kind hearted people who go out of their way and extend help so that the Zaccheuses in our midst may have opportunity to encounter and experience the Lord in their lives. They can be our friends, our spiritual directors, our teachers or our parish priests who guide and lead us the way to come to Jesus and be converted.

From among these three groups, where do we belong? Do we consider ourselves like Zaccheus who needed help to see the Lord? Or are we like the crowd who discourages and hinders people from coming to Jesus? Or are we like the sycamore tree willing to offer help so that others can encounter the Lord? Let us be a “sycamore tree“ and not a “crowd“ to others!

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
Daily Reflection 2017