Dedication of the Basilicas of Peter and Paul   

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, virgin

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

 1 Maccabees 1: 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63*

 From their descendants there came a godless offshoot,

Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, who had been held as hostage in Rome. He became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Greek era (in the year 175 B.C.).

 On the fifteenth day of the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, Antiochus erected the “abom­inable idol of the invaders” on the altar of the temple. Pagan altars were built throughout the whole land of Judea; incense was offered at the doors of their houses and in the squares. 

There wicked men tore up the books of the Law they found and burned them.  They killed anyone they caught in possession of the book of the Covenant and who fulfilled the precepts of the Law, as the royal de­cree had ordered.   But in spite of all this, many Is­ra­elites still remained firm and deter­mined not to eat unclean food.

They preferred to die rather than to make themselves unclean with those foods (prohibited by the Law) that violated the Holy Covenant.

 

Ps  119  Give me life, O Lord, and i will do your commands.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 18: 35-43

When Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging.   As he heard the crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by.

Then he cried out,   “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”   The people in front of him scolded him, “Be quiet!” the said, but he cried out all the more, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him, and when he came near, he asked him,  “What do you want me to do for you?” And the man said, “Lord, that I may see!”  Jesus said, “Receive your sight, your faith has saved you.”

At once the blind man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving praise to God. And all the people who were there also praised God.

 

Gospel Reflection：

“LORD, THAT I MAY SEE!”

Blindness can either be physical or spiritual. And there are many people around us who are afflicted with it. What Jesus did to the blind man in the gospel is something we all need to learn.

To those who are physically blind, perhaps we can be more generous by giving alms to them since many of them do not have the means to earn. We can also extend other forms of material assistance.

Even doing something as easy as giving physical directions may already be an act of benevolence to the blind. This is not difficult to do. only a little determination is needed. We who are well on the road of life should not play unaffected by their condition.

To those who are spiritually blind, perhaps we who are spiritually healthy can be more attentive to their plight and become God’s agents for their recovery. These are the people who are totally sightless of things that really matter in life and who are fainthearted in their religious perspectives.

These people need guidance and enlightenment to see the light of Christ who alone can restore vibrancy to their spiritual vision. Here more determination is necessary.